Following a successful trial across London, Starbucks has announced it will add a 5p surcharge to all takeaway coffees sold in paper cups across the UK.
The price rise will take effect in all 950 Starbucks UK stores later this month and is intended to promote reusability.
Starbucks will continue to offer a discount to any customer buying takeaway coffee in their own reusable cup.
In addition, the company has announced that plastic straws will be replaced with new recyclable strawless lid and alternative-material straw options.
Single use plastic straws will be eliminated across Starbucks’ 28,000 coffee shops worldwide. The company believes that this will take more than one billion plastic straws out of use each year.
Instead, customers opting for iced drinks will be given a new strawless lidded cup. Already being used in 8,000 stores in the US and Canada, the new lid has also been piloted in China, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Starbucks will also begin offering straws made from alternative materials including paper or compostable plastic for specific drinks or available on request for those customers that prefer or need a straw.
Cold drinks account for more than 50 per cent of Starbucks beverage mix in the United States, up from 37 per cent five years ago.
