HAMBURG PORT ANNIVERSARY 2025: reusable cup return machine tested for the first time

From 9 to 11 May 2025, more than 1.2 million visitors from all over the world celebrated the 836th anniversary of Germany’s largest port, Hamburg. 

Alongside the impressive ship parade on the water, the harbour promenade once again transformed into a vibrant festival mile packed with music, performances, and culinary highlights. But where there is celebration, drinks are never far behind and with them, large quantities of cups. If disposable cups were used, this would not only consume valuable resources during production but also generate enormous amounts of waste across the event grounds. 

For this reason, the organiser of the “HAFENGEBURTSTAG HAMBURG”, the Ministry of Economy and Innovation (BWI), has relied on reusable cups for years. These are the clearly more environmentally friendly choice if the cups are used several times (at least 5 times). However, several barriers remain, such as long queues at return points during peak times, high workload for stand staff, too few return points across the entire event site. 

This year, the system was taken a step further: for the first time, a reusable cup return machine was tested at the HAMBURG PORT ANNIVERSARY, in collaboration with Green Events Hamburg under the framework of the Change(K)now! project. This test was done at the event site of the bergmanngruppe and was carried out with ÖkoRAST, the company that makes and maintains the vending machine. The goal was to make cup returns easier and more convenient for guests, increase the overall return rate, and reduce pressure on the food and beverage stands. 

Despite the challenges, approx. 1,500 cups were used, and overall feedback was positive: 

• High user satisfaction and acceptance, with visitors describing the process as fast and easy. 
• Cash refunds (1€ deposit) instead of card systems, which reduced waiting times, overcame language barriers, and even allowed guests to return cups on behalf of friends. 
• Reduced workload for staff, who reported a significant relief and a smoother overall guest experience. 

Looking ahead, the project team sees further potential for improvement. Expanding the number of return points, integrating additional reusable products such as food containers, deploying on-site “reusable scouts,” and promoting standardized systems could all help create a more efficient, user-friendly, and long-term sustainable return infrastructure. 

You can read more on Green Event Hamburg´s website.  

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