Comments on: Starbucks Drops the Spin for a Candid Q&A

By: Nick Aster

Nick Aster — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:10:36 +0000

Thanks for the update on the mug deal! That’s really great news. I agree with Dave, however, that they could do a lot more to tout this – it really could be a huge community building thing for them. I too can picture an advertisement with all sorts of people standing in line at a Starbucks, each with some crazy mug that “reflects their individuality” or something like that…

By: Ray Hartjen

Ray Hartjen — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:16:32 +0000

Consumers also hold an accountability in “green” conversations. It’s so easy to point fingers in one direction, not noticing three fingers on your hand point back at you (go ahead, try it – see?). Starbucks discounts your coffee if you bring your own reusable cup. Recycle is not the only answer. Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Thanks for keeping the issue at the forefront of minds.

By: Dave Shires

Dave Shires — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:08:34 +0000

Thanks for the reply. I’m surprised Starbucks doesn’t standardize – and advertise – the notion of a discount for bringing your own mug. They could really create quite a culture around that – think of the advertisements of people comparing the various different types of mugs they bring in to Starbucks as they wait in line!
I’ll bet they worry about losing the generic branded cup that – even though you see it mostly as litter – still stands out as advertising for them.

By: Gennefer Snowfield

Gennefer Snowfield — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:40:48 +0000

Thanks for your comments, and helping to keep this discussion going. Perhaps Starbucks would be interested in addressing all of your points further in a follow up post. I will reach out to them to that end.

@David Ferris - I agree that 2015 is very far off, and admit that I had the same reaction when Jim Hanna shared that information. One would think that a viable solution could be developed in much less than 5 years, but Starbucks is thinking about the big picture, and how to standardize these practices across manufacturers, retailers and recycling providers. And given that there's a Starbucks on just about every street corner in every major metropolitan city, calling that a huge undertaking is an understatement. That said, I do think they could roll out a phased approach to at least get these new cups implemented in some of their stores as an act of good faith, in addition to developing programs that better involve the consumer as a partner in solving the problem by incentivizing reusable mug use et al.

@Dave Shires - It is my understanding that incentives for bringing in reusable mugs varies from store to store, and that there are no standard operating procedures on that enterprise-wide. I believe that some Starbucks offer a ten cent discount if you bring your own cup, but there definitely needs to be an operational infrastructure in place to make this a more palatable option for consumers.

@Padosa - You are exactly right in that consumer education should be a big component of Starbucks' efforts around this issue. While it is probably accurate to say that eco-conscious consumers do not comprise the archetype of the average Starbucks customer, they have a tremendous opportunity to 'convert' the masses in adopting a more environmentally responsible lifestyle. In fact, given that their brand is so pervasive in the mainstream, it affords them the unique ability to affect significant change on eco-minded topics such as this. Perhaps that's another interim step that they can take while they strategize the cup issue to help catalyze awareness and drive consciousness at the individual level. And in recessionary times, who wouldn't love a discount for bringing in their own mug? It's a win-win for Starbucks and the planet.

Please keep the conversation going, and thanks again for your inights around this important issue.

By: Padosa

Padosa — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:59:15 +0000

It’s hard to imagine Starbucks losing many customers over the recyclability of their cups. People complain about Starbucks’ lackluster environmental policies, but around the country the line for coffee is out the door every morning. Environmental consciousness starts with the consumer: until coffee-drinkers make a concentrated effort to reduce waste, there’s little incentive for a corporation like Starbucks to take the initiative.

By: Dave Shires

Dave Shires — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:31:51 +0000

Excellent interview. I’m glad to see they’re open to actual conversation. Does Starbucks give discounts if you bring your own mug?

By: David Ferris

David Ferris — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:58:50 +0000

If Starbucks takes until 2015 to roll out a kinder cup, another company will beat them to it. Customers don’t want to wait until Obama’s second term to enjoy a guilt-free cappuccino.