"Reusable Cups Are Useful" vs "Is It Really Environmental Protection?"... Heated Debate Over Starbucks Reusable Cup 'Craze'

"Waited 1 Hour"... Starbucks Reusable Cup Frenzy
Some Citizens Criticize "Far from Eco-Friendly"
Starbucks Says "Event Planned to Improve Consumer Awareness for Reusable Cup Use"
Environmental Movement Alliance Calls "Reusable Cup Day" Mere 'Greenwashing' Mocking Consumers

Reusable cup provided by Starbucks on the 28th. Photo by Heo Midam damdam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] "Isn't it contradictory to hand out plastic cups while claiming to care about the environment?"

Starbucks recently held an event providing beverages in 'reusable cups' at stores nationwide, attracting a large number of customers. The event was planned to convey an eco-friendly message aimed at reducing the use of disposable cups. Customers who participated praised the cups for being recyclable and useful.

On the other hand, some citizens criticized the event as far from eco-friendly. Contrary to the original intention of protecting the environment by reducing disposable cup usage, they pointed out that since the reusable cups are made of plastic, they actually cause environmental pollution. The Korean Federation for Environmental Movements also criticized the reusable cups as nothing more than 'greenwashing' that deceives consumers.

On the 28th, Starbucks held 'Reusable Cup Day' nationwide, providing beverages in reusable cups for one day when ordering drinks at Starbucks stores. This event was held to encourage the reduction of disposable cup use in celebration of the global Starbucks 50th anniversary and World Coffee Day.

Due to the event, some Starbucks stores experienced crowds rushing in as soon as they opened, creating an 'open run' scene. Even in the afternoon, some stores saw crowds gathering, resulting in long waiting lines.

Photos certifying the use of reusable cups have been steadily posted on social media platforms. Netizens responded with comments such as, "I waited for an hour, but it was worth it. From now on, I will drink beverages in this cup," "I lined up from the morning to get a reusable cup," and "When I went to the store, they said there were over 60 orders ahead. Still, it was worth the wait."

Photos of Starbucks 'Reusable Cup' certifications are being posted on social networking services (SNS). Photo by Instagram screen capture.

However, some have expressed negative reactions to the reusable cup frenzy, pointing out that it contradicts Starbucks' previous eco-friendly strategies such as providing paper straws and operating stores without disposable cups.

Criticism has intensified because the reusable cups are made of polypropylene (PP), a type of plastic. Ultimately, Starbucks is being criticized for encouraging customers' plastic consumption by giving away limited-edition promotional products for free.

Office worker Kim (29) said, "I don't understand why they hand out plastic cups while claiming to care about the environment," adding, "I saw on Instagram that some people ordered more than 10 drinks at once just to get reusable cups. Isn't that ordering drinks they won't even drink just to get a plastic cup?" He further questioned, "I wonder if this is really an event for the environment."

Given this situation, some have raised the so-called 'greenwashing' issue against Starbucks. Greenwashing is a portmanteau of green and whitewashing, meaning claiming to be eco-friendly but actually not doing anything for the environment. Starbucks has previously been criticized for releasing special edition products like tumblers during seasonal changes or anniversaries.

University student Jung (26) said, "I used to have a hobby of collecting tumblers. Whenever I traveled abroad, I always bought Starbucks tumblers as souvenirs, and I made sure to buy limited-edition tumblers." However, she added, "After becoming interested in the environment, my perspective changed. I wondered if unused tumblers eventually just become trash. Because of that, I stopped collecting tumblers."

She continued, "If Starbucks truly cares about the environment, they should drastically reduce the seasonal goods rather than just using paper straws."

Meanwhile, there are also criticisms that the reusable cups provided this time cannot be considered truly reusable. Starbucks previously provided an instruction manual with the reusable cups given in August, stating, "Due to the nature of the product, it is recommended to use it about 20 times." This is fewer recommended uses compared to existing tumblers.

Regarding this, the Korean Federation for Environmental Movements issued a statement saying, "Starbucks' event is not about reducing disposable product use through 'reusable cup usage' but rather a form of resource waste and generating new plastic waste, deceiving consumers with greenwashing."

They added, "Most reusable cups are made of 'polypropylene,' a common plastic used for disposable packaging and delivery containers. Starbucks is showing contradictory behavior by producing more plastic waste to reduce plastic, deceiving consumers."

Furthermore, "Starbucks wastes resources and generates new waste by releasing 'MD' products made of composite plastic materials that are hard to recycle every season, holiday, or occasion," and demanded, "Starbucks must immediately stop greenwashing marketing that produces plastic waste and deceives consumers."

In response to these controversies, Starbucks emphasized the need to approach the issue from a long-term perspective. A Starbucks representative said, "We plan to stop using disposable cups at all stores nationwide by 2025. Some stores in Jeju are already operating with reusable cups instead of disposable ones. This event is a campaign to achieve that goal," adding, "We hope people view this from a long-term perspective rather than short-term." They also said, "The event was planned to improve consumer awareness of reusable cup use and encourage participation in eco-friendly activities."

Experts noted that consumer interest in the environment has increased compared to the past. Professor Lee Eunhee of Inha University's Department of Consumer Studies said, "Nowadays, consumers are very interested in the environment. Therefore, when the keyword 'environment' is attached, people tend to pay attention to the product or company. However, the important thing is the content. It matters whether they are truly taking eco-friendly actions. If misused, it can have negative effects."