In an effort to increase customer adoption of reusable cups, Starbucks is rolling out a new low-cost reusable tumbler this week, according to reports.
The plastic cups will be roughly the same size and appearance as the company’s paper cups and will cost $1. Starbucks will give a 10 cents discount to customers using the cups, so the cost is recouped after 10 uses.
Starbucks will wash the cups with a boiling water rinse before each serving, as they do with other reusable cups.
Reusable mugs and cups have long been available at Starbucks, but the company has been unable to achieve targets for customer adoption. Last year the company drastically reduced a goal of serving 25 percent of beverages in reusable cups by 2015. In 2011, the company achieved a mere 1.89 percent, leading the company to adjust the 2015 goal to 5 percent.
However, the company is pursuing other avenues to reduce the impact of its disposable cups, including increased availability of in-store recycling, redesigning cup sleeves with less material, and the development of cup-to-cup recycling.
@Bart_King is a freelance writer and communications consultant.
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Bart King is the founder and principal at New Growth Communications. He specializes in helping sustainability leaders develop thought leadership content and strategy
Published Jan 3, 2013 10am EST / 7am PST / 3pm GMT / 4pm CET