Ministry of Environment and Partners Sign Agreement to Promote Reusable Cup Usage
600 Stores to Implement in Jeju, Sejong, Seoul This Year
Starbucks is introducing tumbler washing machines in stores nationwide to enable more consumers to use reusable cups for environmental protection.
Starbucks Korea announced on the 27th that it has signed a business agreement with the Ministry of Environment to promote the culture of using reusable cups, and as part of its sustainable management efforts, it is accelerating eco-friendly operations to reduce disposable cups by introducing tumbler washing machines in stores nationwide.
Based on this business agreement, Starbucks plans to reorganize in a way that considers practicality, convenience, and environmental aspects to activate the use of personal reusable cups and increase actual customer participation.
First, to make it easy for customers to manage their personal reusable cups, tumbler washing machines will be sequentially introduced in all stores nationwide by 2026.
Since last year, Starbucks has been piloting tumbler washing machines in four stores (Gyeongdong1960 Branch, Sookmyung Women’s University Main Gate Branch, Korea University Anam Hospital Branch, Changwon-daero DT Branch) to test customer satisfaction, participation rates, and operational efficiency.
As a result, stores operating tumbler washing machines saw an approximately 30% increase in the average daily use of personal cups compared to before the introduction of the washing machines, and the average personal cup usage was 17% higher than that of regular stores, showing significant achievements.
In fact, the convenience of washing and the ability to hygienically manage tumblers even while on the move were cited as positive evaluation factors by customers at the pilot stores, which is analyzed to have led to an increase in the frequency of tumbler use instead of disposable cups.
Based on these results, starting in July, Starbucks will begin full-scale introduction of tumbler washing machines targeting about 600 stores by the end of this year, beginning with some stores in Jeju, Sejong, and Seoul. Subsequently, through sequential introduction every year, the plan is to fully operate tumbler washing machines in all Starbucks stores nationwide within three years.
The goal is to double the current personal reusable cup usage rate, which is about 7% of total beverage orders, by 2027.
Meanwhile, the signing ceremony held at Starbucks Jongno R Branch was attended by Han Hwa-jin, Minister of Environment; Son Jeong-hyun, CEO of Starbucks; Lee Hyun-wook, Vice President of LG Electronics; and Kim Mi-hwa, Chairperson of the Resource Circulation Social Solidarity.
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