Starbucks looks to promote use of reusable cups to phase out single-use ones
A single use coffee cup inside a Starbucks in London, Britain (file photo).
By 2025, Starbucks looks to allow customers to use their own reusable cups at its facilities "for every visit". It will help phase out single-use cups.
In a press release, the coffee giant, while announcing the new goal, said, "By the end of next year, customers will be able to use their own personal reusable cup for every Starbucks visit in the US and Canada — including in cafe, drive-thru, and mobile order and pay."
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The company seems to have come up with a cup borrowing programme. In it, the firm will allow customers to leave their cups at the store, which will be cleaned professionally.
The pilot programme has witnessed success in Seattle during the Covid pandemic. It has also led to the launch of similar trials in Singapore, Japan and the United Kingdom.
The company also seems to be considering the idea to be tested in South Korea. It will help replace single-use cups with reusable ones.
Starbucks has tested this model in 16 stores in the US. It had prevented the use of around 200,000 disposable cups.
Chief Sustainability Officer Michael Kobori, said, "We set a bold aspiration to become a resource positive company — to store more carbon than we emit, to eliminate waste, and to conserve and replenish more freshwater than we use. This aspiration included setting ambitious 2030 targets to cut our carbon, water and waste footprints in half."
(With inputs from agencies)