Starbucks Corp. wants to move away from single-use packaging, including plastics, by 2030. Starbucks Corp. announced Jan. 21 it wants to make major moves away from single-use packaging, including plastics, as part of an effort to cut its carbon footprint and cut waste from its stores and manufacturing in half by 2030. The company did not detail plastics-specific reductions but an open letter from CEO Kevin Johnson said the company was joining the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy global commitment and would be setting "ambitious circular targets" for its packaging.

Johnson acknowledged the complexities the company would face, noting that it failed to reach ambitious commitments it made in 2008 around recycling and packaging reusability because it underestimated the difficulty of changing consumer behavior. But he said the Seattle-based chain was going to work closely with its supply chain and other partners on a series of sustainability initiatives, including packaging. "Our aspiration is to become resource positive — storing more carbon than we emit, eliminating waste and providing more clean freshwater than we use," Johnson said. "While we're confident these strategies are directionally right, our eyes are wide open knowing that we do not have all the answers or fully understand all the complexities and potential consequences." Read Full Article - Plastic News, January 21, 2020