Back to Plastic?… Food Service Industry in Turmoil Amid Fluctuating Eco-Friendly Policies

The Return of Starbucks' "Green Straw"
Partial Revival Spreads Across Restaurant and Coffee Franchise Industry
Policy Confusion Hurts Both Businesses and Manufacturers

The government's policy to reduce single-use products has lost its direction, throwing the entire food service industry into confusion. The policy that once declared a complete ban on plastic straws has essentially stalled, and the industry is now reintroducing alternative plastic products, resulting in a "policy reversal" phenomenon.

According to the industry on November 6, Starbucks Korea recently introduced plant-based plastic straws at all stores nationwide except Jeju Island. This marks a return after seven years since the company stopped using single-use plastic straws in 2018. Jeju Island continues to use paper straws, as local regulations prohibit the use of single-use plastics.

Since June, Starbucks has been piloting plastic straws at over 200 stores in preparation for a nationwide rollout. A company representative explained, "After the pilot program, we plan to expand the use of plastic straws to all stores except those in Jeju, reflecting customer feedback," adding, "We will offer both paper and plastic straws to broaden customer choice."

Yonhap News

Policy Reversal Leads to Reintroduction of Plastic Products

In 2021, the government revised the Enforcement Rules of the Act on the Promotion of Saving and Recycling of Resources, restricting the use of plastic straws in restaurants and cafes and encouraging the adoption of paper straws. However, in November 2023, just two weeks before the ban was to take effect, the government indefinitely extended the grace period, further fueling confusion in the market.

Subsequently, a report commissioned by the Ministry of Environment revealed that paper straws actually emit more harmful substances throughout their production and disposal cycle. As a result, the policy, which promoted an "eco-friendly" image, was implemented without sufficient verification of its real environmental impact.

Once these findings became public, the restaurant and coffee franchise industry shifted back to a "partial revival" of plastic straws. Twosome Place primarily uses paper straws but also offers plastic straws at some locations. Ediya Coffee uses both paper and plastic straws depending on inventory. SPC Pascucci uses plastic, paper, and bamboo straws in parallel. Chains such as Hollys and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf use plastic straws at all stores.

'Eco-Friendly' Marketing Continues, but Impact Remains Limited

The industry continues to highlight "eco-friendly marketing," but there is a clear gap between image and effectiveness. Starbucks offers a 400-won discount or "Eco-Star" points for customers who use personal cups and designates the 10th of every month as "No Single-Use Cup Day," awarding two Eco-Star points and holding prize events. Lotte GRS (Lotteria, Angel-in-us, Krispy Donuts) gives a 400-won discount to customers using tumblers or reusable containers, while Twosome Place and Pascucci offer a 300-won discount, and Ediya Coffee provides a 200-won discount, all in efforts to strengthen their eco-friendly image.

However, the effectiveness of these policies remains questionable. According to data submitted to the office of Assemblywoman Kim Sohee of the People Power Party by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, the 24 major franchise coffee shops, fast-food restaurants, and bakeries used a total of 1,023,397,721 single-use straws last year. In the first half of this year alone, 510 million single-use cups and 457 million straws were used, indicating minimal reduction. An industry insider commented, "Although headquarters-led campaigns continue, it is difficult to encourage consumer participation," adding, "It does not translate into tangible reductions."

Paper Straw Manufacturers on the Brink of Bankruptcy: "Urgent Need to Restore Policy Credibility"

The greatest victims of policy confusion are paper straw manufacturers. Choi Kwanghyun, CEO of Lee & Bee and co-representative of the National Paper Straw Survival Countermeasures Council, who appeared as a witness at the National Assembly audit, stated, "We trusted the government policy and expanded our production facilities, but as the policy was reversed, the industry now faces a wave of bankruptcies." He added, "We have reduced our staff from over 40 to 10 and are barely holding on, but bankruptcy is imminent." In fact, the number of paper straw producers has dropped from 17 to 6 in the past two years. Some companies are struggling with debt repayment, shutting down operations, or selling personal assets to survive.

Ultimately, experts agree that the government's single-use product policy has degenerated into "desk-bound administration" with no connection to on-the-ground realities. While the Ministry of Environment delays decisions, citing the need to review international trends and the status of alternative product markets, the industry faces both investment losses and growing consumer dissatisfaction.

Another industry insider commented, "Frequent policy changes by the government have left headquarters, franchisees, and manufacturers all facing an unpredictable market," adding, "To achieve both consumer convenience and environmental goals, we need the development of effective alternative technologies and clear policy direction."