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Terms of Service

These terms explain how you can use the Podback recycling service and the Podback website. By using the service or our website you agree to these terms.

Using the Podback Recycling Service

This section explains how the Podback recycling service works and what you can expect when you use it.

1. What the Podback recycling service is

The Podback recycling service helps households in the UK recycle used coffee pods by:

  • providing recycling bags* for either plastic or aluminium pods, and

  • enabling used pods to be returned via participating drop-off points.

The service is provided by Podback and is intended for personal, household use only.

*Not all drop-off services require a bag. Please use the Recycle Checker and follow ‘how to recycle’ instructions for your chosen recycling point.

2. Who can use the service

You may use the recycling service if:

  • you are a UK resident; and

  • you use coffee pods sold in the UK by a Podback member brand. A full list of Podback members is available on our Recycle Checker and on our website at www.podback.org/about

  • you use the service for your own personal, non-commercial purposes.

We and/or our member brands and collection partners may refuse or restrict access to the service if we reasonably believe it is being used in a way that is not consistent with its intended purpose.

3. Ways to recycle with Podback

The recycle checker will provide you with the options available in your local area and you will be able to order the correct bags for this service, as follows:

  • Drop-off – instore (bags required)

  • Drop-off – local authority recycling centre (no bags required)

  • Kerbside (kerbside bags required)

Please follow the instructions on the website to create your account and order your bags.

Please note that Podback kerbside bags are not suitable for use at instore drop-off recycling points.

4. Recycling bags

Podback, and our member brands, provide recycling bags to enable you to collect used coffee pods for recycling.

You agree that:

  • bags are intended only for Podback-accepted coffee pods; and

  • bags must not be used for other waste or materials.

  • Our retailer drop-off points will not accept pods for recycling in any non-Podback bags

When you create an account on the Podback website we will send you free recycling bags by Royal Mail. The quantity of bags you can order in a 12-month period is based on our calculation of how many pods will fit in a bag, depending on the type of pod used.

Once this limit has been reached you will receive a notification advising that a restriction has been placed on your account, and you will be given a date when you may next place an order.

Where Podback bags are provided by member brands, these are usually free to customers buying pods but are subject to each member’s terms and conditions.

Recycling bags are provided for normal household quantities of used coffee pods. If we reasonably believe that recycling bags are being ordered or used for unusually high volumes of pods, or for commercial purposes, we may limit bag orders, suspend access to the service, or contact you to discuss appropriate recycling options.

5. What can be recycled

Only coffee pods accepted by the Podback scheme may be placed in our recycling bags.

Pods must be:

  • Drained of liquid; and

  • free from non-pod waste or contamination.

  • Your Podback bags must be filled to the dotted line and sealed correctly.

  • You do not need to remove coffee grounds before recycling with Podback.

We are not responsible for bags that are rejected by our collection points, for example if they are not correctly filled or sealed, or due to contamination or misuse.

6. Drop-off points

Your Podback bags must be returned using participating drop-off points. You can find details of how to recycle at each drop-off point on the website – they do vary depending on the type of location, so please ensure you familiarise yourself with the ‘how to recycle’ information.

Please note:

  • drop-off locations are operated by third parties.

  • availability, opening hours, and capacity may vary; and

  • access to drop-off points is not always guaranteed.

  • If your chosen drop-off point is a local authority recycling centre, you may need to pre-book your visit.

You are responsible for complying with any reasonable instructions or rules displayed at drop-off locations.

If you experience any issues at the drop-off point you should raise this with staff on-site. If they are not able to resolve the issue, please contact Podback via our customer services team. We aim to respond to all customer enquiries within 72 working hours.

7. Service availability and changes

We aim to make the recycling service widely available, but some elements are beyond our control. We do not guarantee that:

  • recycling bags will always be available (where they are stocked by our retail partners); or

  • drop-off points will always be accessible.

Podback and/or our retailer or collection partners may change, suspend, or withdraw the recycling service (in whole or in part) at any time, including in specific locations or regions, including for operational, environmental or regulatory reasons.

Where reasonably possible, we will provide notice of significant changes to the service via our website and/or our social media channels and try to give an expected timeline for the resumption of the service.

8. What you must not do

You must not:

  • use the recycling service for commercial or bulky waste.

  • place non-accepted items in recycling bags.

  • misuse or deliberately damage bags or drop-off points; or

  • use the service in a way that could cause harm, nuisance, or excessive cost.

  • use abusive or threatening language when contacting Podback.

We reserve the right to end communications where behaviour towards our staff is threatening, abusive or inappropriate. We may suspend or restrict access to the service if it is misused.

9. Responsibility and liability

We are responsible for providing the recycling service with reasonable care and skill.

However, we are not responsible for:

  • the actions or omissions of third-party drop-off location operators, or for the operation of their premises.

  • loss or damage caused by incorrect use of bags or drop-off points; or

  • circumstances outside our reasonable control.

Nothing in these terms limits or excludes your statutory rights as a consumer.

10. Questions or problems

If you have questions about the recycling service, or believe something has gone wrong, please contact us using the contact form on our website.

Using the Podback Website

This section explains the terms that apply when you use the Podback website.

11. Using our website

The Podback website provides information about the Podback recycling service and allows users to:

  • Find out how to recycle coffee pods using our Recycle Checker.

  • create an account.

  • order recycling bags, if these are required; and

  • access information about Podback and its member brands.

You agree to use the website only for lawful purposes and in a way that does not interfere with its operation or with other users’ access to it.

We may suspend or restrict access to the website if we believe it is being misused.

12. Website information

We take reasonable care to ensure that information on the website is accurate and up to date. However, information about recycling options, drop-off locations, and service availability may change from time to time.

Where possible we will update the website to reflect these changes, but we cannot guarantee that all information will always be completely up to date.

13. Your account

If you create an account on the Podback website, you are responsible for:

  • ensuring that the information you provide is accurate;

  • keeping your login details secure.

You must not allow another person to use your account.

If we believe an account is being used improperly, we may suspend or close it.

14. Intellectual property

All content on the Podback website, including text, graphics, logos and images, belongs to Podback or is used with permission.

You may view, download or print content from the website for your personal, non-commercial use only.

You must not copy, distribute, modify or reuse website content for commercial purposes without our permission.

15. Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, such as retailer sites or local authority recycling pages.

These websites are not controlled by Podback, and we are not responsible for their content or availability.

16. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time.

The most recent version will always be available on our website and will apply from the date it is published.

17. Privacy

If you use the Podback website or create an account, we may collect and process your personal data.

Details of how we use personal data are set out in our Privacy Policy, which is available on our website.

General legal information

18. Changes to the recycling service

Podback may update or change the recycling service from time to time, including how it operates or how it can be accessed.

Where reasonably possible, we will provide notice of significant changes through our website, social media channels and/or via the email address registered to your Podback account.

19. If part of these terms cannot be enforced

If a court or regulator decides that part of these terms is invalid or unenforceable, the remaining sections will continue to apply.

20. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

Any disputes relating to these terms or the Podback recycling service will be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

21. Contacting Podback

If you have any questions about these terms or the recycling service, you can contact Podback using the contact form on our website. We aim to respond to all enquiries within 72 working hours.