In today’s world, consumers are definitely showing a trend to environmental consciousness, and Starbucks has taken notice. The coffee chain is testing out a new program for reusable cups at Gatwick Airport in London as one way to reduce the impact on the planet of both the company as a whole and consumers.

The Trial

This introduction of reusable cups at Gatwick Airport will serve as a trial for Starbucks. It will be in place just at the location of Starbucks in the South Terminal at this specific airport. During the trial, customers can pay 5 pence (which is 6 cents) for a paper cup or opt for a reusable cup. Those who go with the reusable cup can then drop it off at one of the locations before they board their flight. There are five drop-off locations for the cups throughout the terminal. Gatwick employees collect the cups from the various drop-off points before washing them and bringing them back to Starbucks.

The Potential Impact

Estimates indicate that every year, people use around seven million paper cups at Gatwick Airport. Only around 5.3 million of these are recycled. The new program will introduce around 2,000 reusable cups into the terminal.

The Goal

In addition to reducing waste, the Reusable Cup Trial has the goal of developing a new on-the-go culture that encourages reuse. The ability to use a reusable cup instead of going with paper, without any charge, will hopefully serve as motivation. Starbucks and its partners hope to save a total of 7,000 disposable cups during the month of the trial. The team also hopes to determine the best methods of encouraging reuse in areas like airports where it tends to be a challenge.

Not the First Step for Starbucks

This is far from the first environmentally friendly step for Starbucks, especially in the United Kingdom. Last year, the company began a fee for paper cups at cafes within the U.K. The profits made from that fee went to Hubbub, an environmental charity in the country. This charity and the paper-cup-fee profits are also funding environmental projects, including the reusable cup trial.

What Gatwick Airport and Hubbub Say

Both Gatwick Airport and Hubbub are enthusiastic about this trial. The airport’s leader for sustainability indicated it aligns with the airport’s overall environmental goals. Hubbub feels that the airport is the perfect location for this trial due to its closed environment combined with its high paper waste quantities.

Assuming this trial goes well, Hubbub and Starbucks have plans to test other green programs as well.

Source:

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/10/starbucks-is-testing-a-reusable-cup-program-at-londons-gatwick-airport.html

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