Starbucks Introduces Next-Generation Disposable Cups for Cold Drinks, Pledges to Reduce Plastic Waste

Starbucks’ newly invented disposable cups for cold beverages. (Photo=Starbucks/AP)

After four years of research, Starbucks has unveiled a new disposable cup that reduces plastic use by up to 20%.

According to reports by CNN and other outlets on the 19th (local time), Starbucks announced that it would be introducing the new disposable cup this month as part of its ongoing efforts to halve plastic waste and carbon emissions.

The redesigned cup is intended for cold beverages and will be introduced in select areas in the U.S. and Canada this year, with plans for global expansion by early 2025.

Based on U.S. store data, the proportion of Starbucks’ cold beverage sales has jumped from 37% in 2013 to a recent 75%. The company anticipates that the new cup, which reduces plastic use by up to 20%, will save more than 6,120 tons annually. It also has the potential to conserve water during the production process.

Starbucks beverages are sold in tall, grande, venti, and trenta sizes. The company said that the change in packaging would address a compatibility issue where the tall drinks’ lids did not fit the grande and venti sizes. Now, all three sizes will use the same-sized lid. However, the trenta size will continue to operate with a different size. The cup design has also been revised to include braille indicators of cup size near the base.

Amelia Landers, Vice President of Product Innovations at Starbucks, referred to the product as an “industry-leading product,” saying, “It took four years to develop the new cup. We conducted thousands of repeated experiments to make the cup sturdy using less plastic.”

Previously, Starbucks announced a long-term goal to make all packaging reusable, recyclable, and compostable by 2030.

In line with this, a reusable cup program will be introduced in stores in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa by next year. Customers will pay a deposit when purchasing a beverage and can use the reusable cup up to 30 times. They can then return the cup to the store and receive a refund on their deposit.