Starbucks places ban on reusable cups to help tackle Coronavirus

Reusable cups, known to tackle waste, has now been in news to help tackle Coronavirus. Starbucks cafes over fears of the Coronavirus has started using reusable cups. This is a great move by the coffee chain which is bound to help tackle the spread of Coronavirus.

"We are pausing the use of personal cups and 'for here' ware in our stores," executive Vice President Rossann Williams said in a statement Wednesday, adding that Starbucks would honour their 10-cent discounts for customers who arrive with their own cup even if they won't fill it.

In 2018, 1.3 percent of customers in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Africa were served drinks in cups they brought along, the company said in its annual report.

Coronavirus is not a new word for us. The contagious nature of the virus is affecting all the areas of civilians life across the globe. In such a scenario, such initiatives will definately be of some relief. latest statistics says that the virus has killed 3,300 people and infected 97,000 after beginning in China.

Airlines are slashing flights to countries with large outbreaks, schools are closing, meetings are being cancelled and many companies are changing their operations.

Not just this, Starbucks had "restricted" business-related air travel both in the United States and abroad through the end of March and "modified or postponed" meetings at US and Canada offices, according to Williams. 

Further, Starbucks is also taking care of cleaning and sanitising for all company-operated stores to help prevent the spread of all germs. 

Williams said the company's US and international markets have learned from "our leadership team and partners in China who were first faced with this epidemic."

The United States has the most licensed and company-operated Starbucks branches, followed by China where half of them had closed because of the outbreak. It is time that we take such initiatives in India as well and not just in Starbucks outlets but every small to big restaurant should bring up the reusable utensils wherever possible.