[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Global coffee brand Starbucks announced it will gradually phase out its iconic white disposable paper cups, CNN reported on the 15th (local time).
The white paper cups or transparent plastic cups printed with the green logo have long been considered symbols of Starbucks. However, since only some are recycled and others are discarded, environmental issues have continuously been raised.
Michael Kobori, Starbucks' Chief Sustainability Officer, stated that "eliminating disposable cups" is the best solution.
Starbucks is considering allowing all customers to use their personal mugs or borrow ceramic or reusable takeout cups in stores by 2025. The reusable cups require a $1 deposit (about 1,200 KRW), which customers pay when borrowing the cup and get refunded when they return it to a smart return station inside the store. Some stores in Korea are already operating in this manner.
Starbucks expects this program to receive more positive responses from customers than other eco-friendly campaigns. Starbucks developed new cups while testing 20 different types of cup rental programs across eight markets worldwide. These cups are made of lightweight polypropylene material, can be used about 100 times as a substitute for disposable cups, and are recyclable.
They are also piloting programs that increase the reward for customers who bring their own cups from 10 cents to 50 cents (about 600 KRW), or impose a charge on disposable cups.
Amelia Landers, Vice President of Product Experience at Starbucks, said, "Even the most passionate sustainability advocates do not easily change their behavior," adding that completely phasing out disposable cups would be a tremendous achievement for Starbucks.
However, there are concerns that this operational policy should not place excessive workload on employees, especially since Starbucks has already implemented a complex customized order system. Notably, Starbucks employees are currently considering forming a labor union.
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