Starbucks to Offer 'Plastic Straws' Again After 7 Years... "Plant-Based Material"

Pilot Launch at Around 200 Stores Nationwide
Starting with Hospitals and Residential Areas with Many Elderly and Infants
Plastic Straws Made from Sugarcane Materials
Expected to Reduce Carbon Emissions

Starbucks Korea is reintroducing plastic straws after seven years.

Starbucks Korea announced that starting June 25, it will provide plastic straws made from 100% plant-based materials, in addition to paper straws, at approximately 200 stores nationwide.

A Starbucks representative stated, "Reflecting diverse customer feedback, including from patients and infants who find paper straws inconvenient, we are initially introducing plant-based plastic straws on a trial basis at around 200 stores, mainly located in hospitals and residential areas."

A Starbucks store in downtown Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Previously, in 2018, Starbucks Korea introduced paper straws at all stores nationwide to replace single-use plastic straws, which contribute to environmental pollution.

However, because the straws are made of paper, customers complained that they quickly became soggy and inconvenient when exposed to liquids for extended periods. In particular, patients or infants, who tend to have less physical strength, often found it difficult to drink beverages when the straws became soggy.

In the pilot stores, plastic straws and existing paper straws are provided together. Photo by Starbucks

Starbucks plans to resolve customer inconvenience by reintroducing plastic straws. The newly introduced plant-based plastic straws are made from plant-derived materials, not conventional petroleum-based plastics. Starbucks also expects these straws to help reduce carbon emissions. The company plans to set up dedicated collection bins for the straws to facilitate recycling.

In the pilot stores, both plastic straws and existing paper straws will be provided together, allowing customers to choose their preferred option. Regarding the potential expansion of paper straw use, the company stated, "We will listen to customer feedback at the pilot stores and consider improvements accordingly."