Starbucks plastic cups will slim down by a whopping 20 percent this month — and you might not even notice

David Landsel
·2 min read
A group of new Starbucks plastic cups
A group of new Starbucks plastic cups

No joe-ke.

Inflation-rattled Starbucks regulars struggling to accept rising prices will be spending more to get a little bit less, starting just weeks from now.

Less plastic, that is.

Cold cups at the coffee chain will soon slim down by a whopping 20 percent here in the United States — and the company is hoping that the average joe lover won’t even notice.

First went the straw and the domed lid —now, Starbucks cold cups will be significantly slimmed down. feelartfeelant – stock.adobe.com
First went the straw and the domed lid —now, Starbucks cold cups will be significantly slimmed down. feelartfeelant – stock.adobe.com

However, as lids will now be one-size-fits-all, smaller cups are likely to be wider.

“Engineers tested thousands of iterations to see how much plastic they could remove while still making the cup feel sturdy,” said Amelia Landers, Starbucks’ vice president of product innovation.

The process took four years, the Daily Mail reported.

The move is part of a company-wide effort to move entirely to reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging by 2030 — and to reduce waste by 50%.

Starbucks customers reportedly turf out a whopping 35 million pounds in plastic when they’re finished with their Frappuccinos and cold brews.

The current cups are made with polypropylene (PP), a versatile polymer that’s the easiest to recycle. However, the decomposition process can still take roughly 20 to 30 years.

Customers may not even notice the change to the cups. Adobe Stock
Customers may not even notice the change to the cups. Adobe Stock

The company didn’t reveal whether or not it would be changing materials, or merely using less of the same.

An advocacy group known as the Plastic Pollution Coalition, which works to end plastic waste on a global scale, called the move a positive step. However, it would like to see more.

“Starbucks and other food and beverage retailers need to shift away from single-use and instead rapidly prioritize plastic-free reuse in stainless steel, glass, or ceramic cups for both customers who stay in and take out,” a statement issued by the group read.

The company has been trialing the concept of discounts for customers that bring their own mugs to the store, in states like California.

In the current test markets, anyone presenting a clean, personal cup at the counter or drive-through receives a $0.10 discount, with Starbucks Rewards members collecting 25 bonus stars.