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Soggy paper the last straw as Starbucks returns to plastic with industry watching for cue

Published: 01 Jul. 2025, 18:37 Updated: 01 Jul. 2025, 18:43

A plastic straw is placed next to a cup of coffee at a Starbucks branch in Seoul on June 26. [YONHAP]

A small move by Starbucks Korea has made big waves across the local coffee shop industry. The country’s top chain recently brought plastic straws back to select stores, raising questions over whether the rest of the cafe sector might follow suit.

While some doubt the practicality of paper straws, others argue that the real solution lies in developing stronger, more durable environmentally friendly alternatives.

Starbucks reintroduces plastic

Starbucks Korea began offering plastic straws again from June 25 at roughly 200 stores, or about 10 percent of its 2,017 outlets nationwide, the firm said Tuesday. The decision comes seven years after it rolled out paper straws across the country in 2018.

“We decided on a pilot program to provide plastic straws alongside paper ones at around 200 stores near hospitals and residential areas to better accommodate patients, young children and others,” a Starbucks Korea spokesperson said.

“We’ll see how customers respond before deciding whether to expand it nationwide.”

According to the company, the newly introduced straws are made from sugarcane-based materials, which it says help reduce carbon emissions. Starbucks also plans to collect and recycle the straws.

The return of plastic has drawn mixed reactions. Many customers welcomed the change, saying it marks the end of what some jokingly call the “paper-flavored coffee era.” Others argued it goes against the broader push for environmental sustainability.

“Most people simply say, ‘Paper straws get soggy too quickly — they’re not very good,’” said an industry insider.

A worker organizes plastic straws at a cafe in Seoul on Oct. 28, 2024. [NEWS1]

Patchwork approach across cafes

Paper straws became the norm in cafes in 2021 after Korea’s Ministry of Environment revised regulations under the Act on the Promotion of Saving and Recycling of Resources.

The new rules limited the use of disposable items like plastic straws and cups at restaurants and cafes. Still, with the government granting a grace period, businesses have been free to enforce the policy differently.

Among major chains, A Twosome Place uses a mix of paper and plastic straws at some branches. Angel-in-us, operated by Lotte GRS, and Pascucci, run by SPC, offer only paper straws. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Korea sticks exclusively to plastic. Mega MGC Coffee, known for its budget prices, merely encourages franchisees to use paper straws, leaving the final decision up to individual store owners.

Even outside the coffee business, companies have started retreating from paper straws.

Nongshim, which produces Capri-Sun juice pouches, switched back to plastic last year. Despite efforts to improve quality, many customers complained that paper straws struggled to puncture the plastic film and affected the taste. Sales dipped as a result.

Meanwhile, Dongseo Food, which makes Starbucks-branded bottled coffee, only uses paper straws on two out of eight products.

Although Starbucks’ move carries symbolic weight, industry watchers expect little immediate change elsewhere.

“Like how more people now carry tumblers despite the inconvenience, demand tied to values-driven consumption is growing,” said a representative at a coffee chain. “We plan to stick with paper straws for now.”

Some blame the lingering confusion on an indecisive government policy.

“We’re still in the grace period, and we don’t know how the government will proceed,” another cafe employee said. “So we’re just watching the situation for the time being.”

Workers sift through plastic waste at the Suwon Urban Development Corporation on June 5. [YONHAP]

Nearly two years of “under review”

The Environment Ministry in November 2023 extended the grace period indefinitely, just two weeks before the plastic straw ban was set to take effect, and has yet to lay out clear next steps.

At the time, then-Vice Environment Minister Lim Sang-jun said in a briefing, “We’ll decide when to end the grace period after considering global trends and the state of alternative products.”

Nearly two years later, the ministry still says it is “comprehensively reviewing the matter” and “nothing has been decided yet.”

Paper straw manufacturers, which had expanded facilities and hired more workers based on government policy, say they are bearing the brunt of the uncertainty.

“There used to be about 20 producers, but only five or six are barely hanging on now,” said Choi Kwang-hyun, co-head of an organization made up of paper straw manufacturers from across the country.

“When we ask the government how long this grace period will last, there’s no answer. The ministry that’s supposed to lead on green policies is just leaving businesses to suffer.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY HWANG SOO-YEON [[email protected]]