Starbucks Korea Surpasses 200 Million Personal Cup Uses, Saves Equivalent of 200 Million Disposable Cups
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
Starbucks Korea announced that over the past 18 years customers have used personal reusable cups in stores more than 200 million times (2억건). From 2007 through November this year the count reached 200,680,000, representing about KRW 90 billion in customer benefits. This year alone (Jan–Nov) personal cup uses hit a record 32.25 million, helping the company claim the equivalent reduction of 200 million single-use cups. Starbucks attributes the rise to policy changes boosting convenience and incentives—customers can choose either a monetary discount or collect “eco stars” (에코별) when they bring a reusable cup (텀블러). The discount increased from 300 won to 400 won in 2022, and a strengthened “No Disposable Cup Day” (일회용컵 없는 날) campaign plus a scratch-event for eco-star collectors have driven participation; March–November uses rose 16% year-on-year. Starbucks is expanding tumbler-only cleaning machines (텀블러 전용 세척기) to most stores by year-end and runs special rewards and giveaways—free drink coupon exchanges, upcycled product gifts, and free-drink prizes for top users—to celebrate the milestone and encourage further reductions in single-use waste. Starbucks says stacking 200 million iced tall cups would span roughly 21,000 km, about half the Earth’s circumference.
