Compostable and recyclable: Starbucks redesigns its iconic white takeaway cup

Starbucks has unveiled a new iteration of its iconic white takeaway cup in Europe, featuring a home compostable and widely recyclable design developed in partnership with Transcend Packaging, Qwarzo®, and Metsä Board.

The updated hot cup replaces the traditional plastic lining with a mineral-based coating, enabling the cup to be processed through standard recycling systems or composted at home. The single-use plastic lid has also been replaced with a fibre-based alternative that uses the same coating technology. Both components are designed to maintain the familiar Starbucks look and customer experience, while reducing environmental impact and simplifying waste disposal.

Conventional takeaway cups with plastic linings often require specialist recycling infrastructure to separate materials, which can limit their recyclability. In contrast, the new cup and lid can be placed in standard recycling bins or added to home compost, leaving no harmful residue behind.

The development is the result of a pan-European collaboration. The cups are made using responsibly sourced wood fibre from Northern European forests, combined with mineral-based coating technology produced in Brescia, Italy. Manufacturing is carried out at Transcend Packaging’s facility in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, Wales.

Duncan Moir, President, 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.

Starbucks will roll out the new packaging gradually across selected European markets. Following initial launches in Spain and Hungary, the cups will be introduced this month in ten countries including Italy, Germany, France, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria, with further expansion to the UK and Ireland later this year.