Starbucks fans may not notice a huge difference when they pick up their favorite cold drink – but those plastic cups will soon be changing.
The coffee chain has announced the rollout of new disposable cold cups with up to 20% less plastic, the latest in a handful of initiatives to go greener.
Starbucks announced the redesign this week, saying the rollout will soon begin in Canada and the U.S. The new tall, grande, venti and trenta-sized cups will use 10-20% less plastic than the previous cold cups, said the chain.
The cups also feature a few more new design elements, including raised dots and letters embossed on the bottom to allow baristas and customers with low vision to identify sizes by touch.
All cold cup sizes will also have one universal lid that fits every cup. Previously, the grande and venti cups shared the same lid but the tall size didn’t.
By redesigning the 12 oz cup with a squatter profile and wider mouth, all sizes now share the same type of lid.
Starbucks looks to go greener as labor board court cases loom
The move is part of Starbucks’s efforts to reduce its waste by 50% by 2030.
The chain recently implemented another cup-related sustainability mission in January, allowing customers in the U.S. and Canada to use reusable cups for orders both in-store and drive-through.
Customers who order using a clean, personal cup will receive a $0.10 discount, and if a Starbucks Reward member, collect 25 Bonus Stars.
Starbucks has also certified 6,091 Greener Stores in 2024, according to a company press release.
These initiatives come as Starbucks continues to draw controversy around its labor practices and alleged union-busting behavior.
Currently, Starbucks is one of several companies pushing against what they call the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) “aggressive anti-employer agenda.”
Starbucks, along with companies like SpaceX, Amazon, and Trader Joe’s, has engaged with recent legal filings challenging the constitutionality of the NLRB. A Supreme Court case on the issue is set to be argued on April 23.
