Preliminary results from Starbucks trial suggests charging customers extra for takeaway cups is an effective way to change behaviour The number of customers bringing a reusable coffee cup into Starbucks has soared after the coffee chain trialled a five pence charge for takeaway cups. Preliminary results from the first six weeks of...
Initial results from a three-month trial across selected London branches of the coffee chain indicate that imposing a charge for takeaway cups alters consumer behaviour. Starbucks offers customers a discount of 25p on hot drinks if they provide a reusable cup. However, the new figures suggest that imposing a charge for a takeaway cup may be a more effective way of decreasing the number of disposable cups used. The research was carried out by researchers at Goldsmiths, University of London, and published in the Journal of Consumer Research.