Starbucks launches reusable cup scheme to raise US$1M for Ocean Conservancy

05 Aug 2021 --- Starbucks is to donate US$1 to US marine conservation non-profit Ocean Conservancy each time a consumer orders a drink in a personal reusable cup. The project will raise up to US$1 million to be invested in the organization’s advocacy and policy work.

Speaking to PackagingInsights, a Starbucks spokesperson says the project highlights the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

“This promotion underscores the interdependency of human and planetary health by contributing US$1 to Ocean Conservancy each time a customer orders a beverage to be served in a clean personal reusable cup, up to US$1 million. We are shifting away from single-use plastics, championing the use of recycled content, and promoting reusability, driven by a broader shift towards a circular economy.”

The program follows a two-month trial at Starbucks stores in Seattle, US, in April. Dubbed Borrow a Cup, the scheme allowed customers to pay a US$1 deposit to borrow a refillable beverage cup, with each one estimated to replace up to 30 disposable cups.

Customers could return the refillable cup at a participating store’s contactless kiosk or at-home through a Seattle-area delivery service called Ridwell.

“Single-use cups and lids are among the most common types of trash found on our beaches. By encouraging customers to bring in their own reusable cups, Starbucks is helping to reduce the amount of waste produced in their stores, giving their customers a simple way to help the ocean. Every action makes a difference,” remarks Ocean Conservancy's project director Edith Cecchini.

Starbucks will donate up to US$1M through the scheme.Starbucks on the go
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Starbucks says 80 percent of its beverages were enjoyed on-the-go. However, the company claims to have “long been innovating to encourage customers to adopt reusable cups.”

“Since the 1980’s we have offered the option for customers to enjoy their beverage in For Here Ware or bring in a personal reusable cup for a discount. And the company continues to make progress around the world,” says the Starbucks spokesperson.

In June, Starbucks announced a reusable cup share program in its Europe, Middle East and Africa stores by 2025. In July, Starbucks South Korea launched a Borrow a Cup program in stores and recently committed to eliminating single-use cups by 2025.

Starbucks will continue to test and learn from programs geared toward reducing single-use cups, a key part of the company’s ongoing commitment to reducing waste by 50 percent by 2030.

The reusable revolution
Innova Market Insights pegged “The Reusable Revolution” as one of its top packaging trends for 2021, but refillables still have a long way to go.

According to the market researcher’s 2021 survey, US consumers do not view reusable packaging as the most eco-friendly end-of-life solution.

Thirty-six percent of US survey participants said biodegradable packaging was the most eco-friendly, followed by compostable (23%), recycled (21%), then reusable packaging (11.5%).

This year, a report by the Environmental Investigation Agency and Greenpeace UK urged a “refill revolution” in response to having found many supermarkets are “treading water” on plastic reduction.

Edited

By Louis Gore-Langton

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