Starbucks announced the launch of a new version of its flagship takeaway white cup in Europe, replacing the cup’s plastic lining and plastic lids with new materials, allowing the cup to be home compostable and recyclable.

The rollout of the cup begins this month in 10 European countries, and is set to come to the UK and Ireland later this year, Starbucks said. The new cup solves the challenges related to the sustainable disposal of current cups, which feature a plastic lining that needs to be separated from the rest of the cup before it can be recycled or composted. The new cups contain a mineral-based coating, and the lids are made from fibre alternatives, rather than plastic, and coated with the same mineral-based material.

Duncan Moir, President of Starbucks EMEA, said:

“Our hot cup solution is the first introduction of this emerging technology applied to a coffee cup at scale. Starbucks’ new hot cup in Europe provides a widely recyclable and home compostable alternative for when customers don’t have a reusable cup. I am really proud of the team that has worked to develop this innovative solution, and I am so excited to see it in the hands of our customers in Europe as they enjoy their coffee. We are keen to learn more from this rollout and remain focused on introducing more sustainable innovations to meet the shifting requirements of markets worldwide.”

The new mineral-based coating is produced by Italy-based Qwarzo, providing a waterproof barrier that is recyclable and home compostable. The cup’s paper is provided by Finland’s Metsä Board,and is made from traceable wood fibre from Northern European forests.  Transcend Packaging, based in Wales, will manufacture the cup.

Lorenzo Angelucci, CEO of Transcend Packaging, said:

“Starbucks and the Europe go-to-market commitment it has made in this new technology allows us to demonstrate the transformative potential of the packaging solution we have developed. We welcome Starbucks’ courage in innovation to redesign and totally transform its packaging production processes, creating a premium new product while removing the plastic lining in coffee cups and swapping to fibre lids.”

As part of its commitment to become a “resource positive” company, Starbucks has followed strategies including shifting away from single-use packaging and to promote recycling and reuse of waste. In 2022, the company announced plans to provide its customers globally with reusable cup options, with a 2025 goal for customers globally to have access to a reusable cup option for every visit.

Starbucks said that it continues to operate a reusables-first approach across its stores, which includes rewarding customers who bring their own reusable cup with discounts and providing in-store ceramic offerings for hot drinks in the majority of its European locations.