Omar Khalid
Starbucks has been making efforts to reduce its plastic waste and carbon footprint. In 2018, Starbucks announced that it would stop offering plastic straws by 2020, and the company has also been encouraging the use of reusable cups for drinks. Starbucks has also removed the plastic safety seal from its bottled Frappuccinos, and in 2025, the company introduced new cold cups made with up to 20% less plastic, which are projected to reduce emissions and water consumption during production. Starbucks aims to cut its carbon, water, and waste footprints by half by 2030 and ensure all customer packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Announcement | February 2025 |
| Type of Initiative | Sustainability |
| Type of Product | Cold cups |
| Plastic Usage | 10 to 20% less plastic than previous cups |
| Environmental Impact | 13.5 million pounds of plastic kept from landfills annually |
| Additional Benefits | Reduced emissions, water conservation, streamlined workflow for employees |
| Rollout | Across stores in the U.S. and Canada |
| Timeline | Debuting in April |
| Customer Incentives | Starbucks Rewards members get 25 Stars and 10 cents off their beverage when using a personal cup |
| Future Goals | Ensure all customer packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2030 |
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What You'll Learn
Starbucks' commitment to sustainability
Starbucks has demonstrated its commitment to sustainability through various initiatives and goals. The company has set ambitious targets to address its climate, water, and waste footprints, with a comprehensive approach that aims to build a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient future.
One of Starbucks' key sustainability initiatives is its effort to reduce single-use plastic waste. In 2018, Starbucks announced its plan to eliminate plastic straws from its stores globally by 2020, replacing them with strawless lids for iced coffee, tea, and espresso beverages. This move was in response to growing environmental concerns and pressure from activists about the harmful effects of plastic straws on marine life.
In addition to straws, Starbucks has also taken steps to reduce plastic waste in its packaging. The company introduced new cold cups made with up to 20% less plastic, projected to keep more than 13.5 million pounds of plastic from landfills annually. These cups are also designed to reduce emissions and water consumption during production, contributing to Starbucks' goal of cutting its carbon, water, and waste footprints by half by 2030.
Starbucks is also working towards making its stores more sustainable. The company launched the Greener Store Practitioner course on the Starbucks Global Academy to educate retailers and the public about sustainability. Additionally, Starbucks is installing high-power electric vehicle chargers at select locations and leading a city-wide collaborative reuse project in Petaluma, California, to make reusable cups the default option for to-go drinks.
Furthermore, Starbucks is committed to ethical sourcing and giving back to the planet. In 2022, the company reported that 98% of its coffee was ethically sourced, and it has invested in organisations serving young people of colour in the US. Starbucks also aims to reduce its carbon emissions, with 10% of its stores reducing carbon emissions, water usage, and landfill use in the same year.
Through these initiatives and more, Starbucks is striving to balance its growth with sustainability, creating long-term value for the company and a positive impact on the environment.
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Starbucks' plastic straw ban by 2020
Starbucks has been a target for environmental groups due to its contribution to plastic pollution. In 2018, the company announced that it would ban plastic straws from its 28,000 stores worldwide by 2020, eliminating an estimated 1 billion straws yearly. The coffee giant has defended its decision, stating that it was motivated by requests from partners and customers.
The company has introduced strawless lids, which have a sippable protrusion, and will also offer alternative-material straws, such as compostable and paper straws. These lids were initially developed for the company's "Nitro" coffee beverages, which are best drunk without a straw. Starbucks has been criticised, however, for simply replacing plastic straws with plastic lids, which some claim use even more plastic. Starbucks has not disputed this, but has stressed that the new lids are made from polypropylene, a commonly accepted recyclable plastic.
The decision to ban plastic straws was influenced by environmental activists, who have been pressuring businesses to ditch plastic straws, which can end up in the ocean and harm marine life. This advocacy gained widespread support after a 2015 viral video showed rescuers removing a plastic straw from an endangered sea turtle's nose.
Starbucks' plastic straw ban is part of a growing movement to reduce single-use plastic waste, with other companies such as the White Sox, Alaska Airlines, and the BBC also instituting plastic-curbing policies. While some have praised Starbucks for its leadership in this area, others have questioned the impact of the decision, pointing to the company's ongoing use of disposable cups, which some environmental groups claim are a more significant source of plastic pollution.
Overall, Starbucks' plastic straw ban by 2020 represents a commitment to environmental sustainability and a response to growing concerns about plastic pollution and its impact on marine life.
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Starbucks' reusable cup initiative
Starbucks has been championing reusable cup options for 30 years and has conducted more than 20 reusables tests in stores worldwide. In 2024, the company announced that it would be the first national coffeehouse in the US to allow customers to bring their clean personal cups, whether it's a reusable tumbler, thermos, or travel mug, for every visit to company-owned and licensed stores in the US and Canada, including drive-thru and mobile orders.
In August 2024, Starbucks also led a city-wide collaborative reuse project in Petaluma, California, to make reusable cups the default option for to-go drinks. The project was a collaborative effort between public and private entities, including industry competitors, working together to help shape consumer habits and cultural norms. The test cups were branded purple and could be returned to one of more than 60 purple drop-off return bins located at Starbucks cafes and participating businesses throughout the city. The cups were then professionally cleaned, sanitized, and recirculated for reuse.
In addition to its reusable cup initiatives, Starbucks has also taken other steps towards sustainability. The company has introduced strawless lids, redesigned its straws to be made with compostable materials or paper, and moved away from lid stoppers in favour of recyclable lid stickers. In April 2025, Starbucks introduced a lineup of more sustainable cold cups made with up to 20% less plastic, projected to reduce emissions, conserve water, and streamline the workflow for store partners.
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Starbucks' bottled Frappuccinos and their plastic seals
Starbucks bottled Frappuccinos are sold through PepsiCo. The bottled Frappuccinos were discontinued in some Starbucks stores in 2019, but they can still be ordered online, through the app, and in corporate and grocery stores.
Starbucks bottled Frappuccinos used to have a plastic seal around the bottle cap, but the company started phasing it out around 2019. The plastic seal was initially removed to reduce plastic waste. However, some customers were concerned about the lack of a safety seal, as it could indicate tampering or potential contamination. Some Starbucks retail managers also received complaints and returns from customers due to the missing plastic seal.
The plastic seal was replaced by a vacuum seal, which is created when the contents of the bottle cool after being submerged in near-boiling water for 20 minutes. This process recreates the vacuum seal, making it look like the bottle has not been opened. While this method may address environmental concerns, it could potentially compromise product safety.
Starbucks has since moved the plastic seal down from the lid to the neck of the bottle, addressing concerns about the obstruction of the lid. This new placement still serves as a safety measure, indicating whether the bottle has been opened or tampered with.
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Starbucks' new cold cups with less plastic
Starbucks has been working towards sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint. As part of this initiative, the company introduced a lineup of more sustainable cold cups in April 2024 in stores across the US and Canada. These new cold cups are made with 10 to 20% less plastic than previous cups and are projected to keep 13.5 million pounds of plastic out of landfills annually. The new cups are also designed to reduce emissions and water consumption during the production process.
The tall, grande, venti, and trenta-sized cups were designed at the Tryer Center in Seattle, Starbucks' innovation hub. The cups feature raised dots near the bottom, allowing baristas to quickly identify the cup size by feeling the dots with their thumb. The 12-ounce "tall" cup is also shorter and wider to accommodate the same-size lid as the larger cups. The multiple lids in different sizes previously used for cold cups created clutter and took up valuable shelf space, so the new cups will use a consolidated lid design with colour-coded sleeves to improve efficiency and streamline storage.
The new cups are the first single-use cups designed by Starbucks specifically for sustainability and accessibility. The cups are part of Starbucks' commitment to cut its carbon, water, and waste footprints by half by 2030. The company also aims to ensure that all customer packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable by this timeframe.
Starbucks has been working towards sustainability in other areas as well. In 2019, the company adopted strawless lids for its cold drinks, eliminating plastic straws from its stores globally by 2020. Starbucks is also testing reusable cup programs in various regions, with plans to introduce a reusable cup program at thousands of stores in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
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Frequently asked questions
Starbucks has been championing reusable cup options for 30 years and has conducted more than 20 reusability tests in stores worldwide. The company has also introduced a lineup of more sustainable cold cups with up to 20% less plastic in stores across the U.S. and Canada. These cups are projected to reduce emissions and conserve water in the production process.
The new plastic cups are made with up to 20% less plastic than previous cold cups. Starbucks has also introduced a lineup of drinkware, including a collapsible water bottle.
Yes, Starbucks allows customers to use their clean personal cups when ordering in-store, via the Starbucks app, or through the drive-thru.
Starbucks offers plastic bottles in various sizes, including tall, grande, venti, and trenta.
