Starbucks has recently sparked interest among some customers due to a significant alteration to its well-known cups.
For a long time, the Starbucks cup has been the go-to accessory for social media influencers, complementing their outfit of the day while holding the brand’s recognizable white coffee cup or see-through plastic cup, sharing a glimpse of the delightful drink that fuels their morning.
Notably, British reality TV star Molly-Mae Hague is often credited as the first influencer to collaborate with the coffee chain, showcasing this trend.
However, the popular coffee company has stirred some controversy among its followers by announcing a major update. This change aims to promote sustainability but also results in a noticeable shift in the aesthetics of social media posts.
The popular plastic cup used for cold drinks is being phased out in select stores across 14 US states.
From now on, cold beverages will be served in cups similar to those used for hot drinks, meaning they will no longer be transparent.
These new cups are made from compostable materials with a fiber-based paper structure, a bioplastic liner, and are topped with a dome lid instead of a traditional flat top with a straw slot.
This change means that the vibrant colors of drinks like an iced matcha green tea latte, the Refresha range, and Frappuccinos will be obscured by a white cup, much to the dismay of some fans.
Reacting on Twitter, one customer expressed discontent: “@starbucks your new cups are horrible – you can’t see your drink, which is part of the fun.”
The tweet continued: “Change back! Thank you for bringing back straws and sugar but now terrible new cups.”
Other customers criticized the design, reporting issues such as spills, soggy straws, and difficulty drinking.
One user complained: “@Starbucks new cups are a total fail. S*** spills/pours out of the vent hole if it tilts when near full. Bad bad.”
Another customer added: “Yep horrible. Not going back after they gave me my iced coffee in one today – to add insult to injury the straw they gave me doesn’t even fit in the hole on the lid.”
Nonetheless, some people support the new change, with one Reddit user writing: “No more TikTok drinks.”
Another agreed, stating: “I’m all for that. I think we need more paper cups and less plastic ones.”
These changes are part of a pilot program implemented in various stores across 14 US states including California, Washington, Hawaii, and others, according to the Daily Mail.
There are no immediate plans for a broader rollout across the country, as reported by KCAL News.
Starbucks stated: “We’ve set an ambitious goal for our cups to be 100% compostable, recyclable, or reusable; sourced from 50% recycled materials; and made using 50% less virgin fossil fuel derived sources by 2030.
“In the U.S. and Canada, we’re rolling out a more sustainable and accessible cold cup made with 10-20% less plastic – just one way we’re driving single-use packaging innovation.”