COSTA coffee shops nationwide have launched an initiative that allows customers to request used coffee grounds for use in their gardens as a natural plant fertiliser.

The free coffee grounds contain many essential trace elements such as slow release nitrogen, calcium and magnesium, which make up a highly successful and natural fertiliser.

Kerry Parkin, head of CSR at Costa said: "We are constantly looking for new ways to improve our environmental footprint, whether it be recycling our coffee bean sacks to use as carpet underlay or building our first ever eco store. We are committed to constant improvement in this area and it just so happens that in this instance it can also improve our customers gardens."

Interested customers should speak to staff in their local Costa or see costa.co.uk/responserbility/environment.