Korean coffee shops will charge a deposit for disposable paper cups from June, which can be returned upon return.

Some time ago, the coffee workshop reported to you that South Koreans had lost the freedom of iced American coffee. First, Starbucks took the lead in raising the price of coffee, and then the government went one step further for the "plastic ban." Just halfway through the first month of 2022, coffee lovers in South Korea have been hit again, this time with a deposit on recyclable paper cups.

According to a report by Yonhap news agency Seoul on January 18, South Korea will gradually step up efforts to ban plastic and restrict the use of disposable products. South Korean coffee shops and fast food restaurants need to pay a deposit to use disposable cups since June, and convenience stores and pastry shops have banned the use of disposable plastic bags since November.

Consumers who buy drinks such as coffee in coffee shops need to pay a deposit for disposable cups in addition to the amount they pay for drinks, which is expected to range from 200 won to 500 won per disposable cup. After drinking the liquid in the cup, the disposable cup will be returned to the merchant to get the deposit back. (January 17, 1 won = 0.0053 RMB)

South Korea has adopted a more aggressive plastic ban this time for a reason. Coffee workshops have previously mentioned banning disposable plastic cups because international shipping is tight and rubbish in South Korea cannot be transported out of the country. The more radical policy is to reduce the waste caused by the use of a large number of disposable appliances.

There is a precedent for South Korean cafes to charge a deposit on cups. In 2021, Starbucks stores in the United States launched reusable coffee cups, and customers can choose to pay an additional $1 deposit to get a reusable cup when they buy drinks. The deposit can be returned after use.

Also in 2021, Starbucks sent out disposable cups at South Korean-owned Starbucks stores and launched a "cup cycle" project in South Korea in June that year, requiring customers to pay a small deposit to get a reusable cup. after use, the deposit can be returned.

The COVID-19 epidemic has risen again recently. as of 12:00 on the 18th, more than 4,000 new cases have been confirmed in South Korea, with a total of more than 700000 confirmed cases. South Korea's epidemic prevention authorities predict that the "O'Micron" mutant may become the dominant strain this week. This operation is understandably for the sake of long-term environmental protection plans, but judging from the recent rise of the epidemic, the risk is a bit high.

It is also mentioned in the report that the returned disposable cups will be recycled by special recycling companies. Earlier, when Starbucks tried the reusable cup, it also said that the cup would be professionally cleaned and disinfected after it was recycled, but domestic netizens still could not accept this operation.

The emergence of new things is bound to have different voices, support and opposition. So, if it were you, would you choose to pay a deposit for the disposable cup?

Photo Source: Weibo, Internet

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