Expansion of Paper Straw Use Since Starbucks in 2018
Nongshim Recently Announces Return to Plastic Straws for Capri Sun
Consumer Inconvenience and Safety Concerns Grow...Corporate Dilemma
An endangered olive ridley sea turtle with a plastic straw stuck in its nose. Photo by YouTube capture
One of the most active participants in the plastic straw elimination movement was Starbucks in the United States. In 2018, Starbucks announced that it would eliminate plastic straws from all its stores worldwide by 2020. In November of that year, Starbucks Korea became the first in the domestic industry to remove plastic straws and introduce paper straws.
Following the industry leader's move, major cafe franchises such as Twosome Place, Paul Bassett, and Angel-in-us also joined in using paper straws. Additionally, food companies like Nongshim, Maeil Dairies, and Dongseo Foods, as well as convenience stores like CU and GS25, expanded their use of paper straws.
"Sales plummeted because of paper straws"... Nongshim reverts Capri Sun to plastic straws
However, recently Nongshim made a significant decision. They decided to switch Capri Sun's paper straws back to plastic straws. This comes about 20 months after switching to paper straws in February last year to reduce plastic use. The main reasons were 'consumer inconvenience and resulting sales decline.' After switching to paper straws, consumers filed numerous complaints. They reported that the straws could not easily pierce the plastic packaging, causing inconvenience. There were also complaints that the unique smell of paper straws spoiled the taste and that the straws became soggy and unusable after prolonged use.
Nongshim attempted quality improvements twice. They tried changing the angle of the paper straw's cut edge and took measures to reinforce its strength. However, the sales decline did not stop, and eventually, Nongshim decided to revert to plastic straws. According to Nongshim, the annual sales volume of Capri Sun, which had maintained 9 million boxes, decreased by 13% last year. This year, sales have dropped 16% cumulatively through the third quarter.
Consumer reactions to the decision to revert to plastic straws have been positive. One netizen wrote, "After being stressed by paper straws, I stopped drinking Capri Sun," adding, "While the environment is important, consumer convenience cannot be ignored, so this is the right decision." Another netizen commented, "Paper straws may positively affect corporate image, but they won't prevent sales decline."
It turns out that before Nongshim, some companies also withdrew plans to expand paper straw use due to consumer complaints. Dongseo Foods applied paper straws to Starbucks cup coffee products ▲Cafe Latte ▲Skinny Latte ▲Espresso ▲Smooth Americano 270 starting November 2021. At that time, they announced plans to gradually introduce paper straws to Maxim TOPI cup coffee in 2022.
However, it has been confirmed that this plan was withdrawn for reasons similar to Nongshim's. A Dongseo Foods representative explained, "After introducing paper straws, we received many consumer complaints. While there were positive responses to paper straws, we decided not to expand to other products and keep existing products as they are."
Some question the eco-friendliness of paper straws... "Once soggy, they become general waste"
Companies face a deep dilemma between the eco-friendliness and convenience of paper straws. Recently, claims have even emerged that paper straws may be more harmful than plastic straws, deepening their concerns.
Paper straws are known to decompose more easily than plastic straws and emit less carbon, making them environmentally friendly. They are also more flexible, reducing the likelihood of harming marine animals. However, some argue that soggy paper straws cannot be recycled and are treated as general waste, resulting in significant carbon emissions. Additionally, there is concern that coating paper straws to increase their strength harms the environment. In response, rebuttals have emerged stating that domestically produced paper straws in Korea do not have harmful effects, unlike overseas products, further intensifying the controversy.
The government's inconsistent policies also exacerbate the dilemma. In November 2021, the government announced a ban on plastic straw use inside cafes. At that time, a two-year grace period was given to consumers and small business owners to prepare. However, two years later, the implementation of the policy was postponed indefinitely. The industry has effectively regarded this as a withdrawal. As a result, cafes like Hollys, Tom N Toms, and Paik's Coffee, which had announced plans to introduce paper straws, still use plastic straws.
A coffee franchise official said, "After using paper straws for several years and somewhat settling in, the government withdrew the plastic straw ban plan, and consumer complaints continue, so we are leaving it to the discretion of franchise stores."
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