From June, Cafes and Bakeries Will Charge a 300 Won Deposit Per Single-Use Cup

Return the Used Cup to the Store for a '300 Won Deposit' Refund

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Son Seonhee] Starting from June 10, a deposit of 300 KRW per cup will be charged when using disposable cups at major coffee shops, fast food outlets, and other locations nationwide. However, if the disposable cup used at any store subject to the deposit system is returned after drinking the beverage, the deposit can be refunded.

On the 24th, the Ministry of Environment announced that it will publicly notify for 40 days starting January 25 the partial amendments to three subordinate laws in the resource circulation sector, including the Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Promotion of Saving and Recycling of Resources, which contain these details.

The disposable cup deposit system will apply to approximately 38,000 stores nationwide. The target stores are those operated by business operators with 100 or more locations nationwide, including ▲coffee shops such as Ediya, Starbucks, and Twosome Place ▲bakery shops such as Dunkin Donuts, Paris Baguette, and Tous Les Jours ▲fast food outlets such as Lotteria, Mom’s Touch, McDonald’s, and Burger King ▲ice cream and shaved ice shops such as Baskin Robbins and Sulbing ▲other beverage shops such as Gongcha, Smoothie King, and Juicy.

The disposable cups subject to the deposit system are mainly plastic cups used for cold beverages or paper cups used for hot beverages. Reusable plastic cups or mugs that are collected and washed for reuse are excluded.

According to the Ministry of Environment, the number of disposable cups used annually at franchise stores nationwide is estimated at 2.8 billion (56 cups per person), of which 2.3 billion cups are used at stores subject to the deposit system.

Consumers pay a deposit of 300 KRW per disposable cup when purchasing a beverage in a disposable cup, and can get the deposit refunded by returning the cup to the store where the beverage was purchased or to another store (including other franchise stores). It is not necessary to return the cup to the exact store where the beverage was bought; the deposit can be refunded at any store applying the deposit system. Even if the consumer did not purchase the beverage, they can receive the deposit by picking up disposable cups left on the street and returning them to the stores.

The deposit will be paid by the consumer’s preferred method, such as bank transfer or cash. Since the barcode attached to the cup is scanned upon return, cups that have already had their deposit refunded cannot be refunded again.

Meanwhile, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) packaging materials widely used as wrapping for meat and seafood in large supermarkets will be completely banned from 2024. Additionally, disposable wet wipes containing plastic, commonly used in restaurants, will be added to the list of regulated disposable products. Wet wipes without plastic used in general households are not subject to this regulation.