Starbucks recently started allowing customers to use their own reusable cups for drive-through and mobile orders — a move intended to help the coffee giant reduce waste from single-use cups.
But in an era where reusable water bottles are such a hot commodity that people wait hours in line to snag certain brands, and water-bottle filling stations are prolific, some may be wondering: Why aren’t more coffee shops providing alternatives to disposable cups?
One reason is companies’ concerns over hygiene — a common issue with reusable containers for food and drink that has been heightened by the coronavirus pandemic. Early on in the pandemic, many places, including Starbucks, temporarily stopped accepting reusables, prompting more than 125 health experts to sign a letter supporting the use of personal containers.
The letter, which cited research, noted that reusable cups could be safe as long as basic hygiene practices were in place. But while many pandemic restrictions have since lifted, there is no guarantee you can bring your reusable cup to any coffee shop and it will be filled.
“Food safety is put up as a reason for this, but from a risk standpoint it’s not a reasonable reason,” said Benjamin Chapman, department head of agricultural and human sciences at North Carolina State University. “The risks are really, really low.”
Cleaning reusable cups
Businesses selling food and beverages, including coffee shops, have long debated how to make sure reusable items are clean, Chapman said.
“When it comes to a reusable cup, it’s not under a company’s control and they don’t know what someone put in the cup beforehand,” he said.
Certain places might also not fill reusables because of local or state health department regulations. The federal food code doesn’t include many specific parameters on reusables, he said, meaning rules can differ based on location.
Even if local laws allow it and customers come in with cups they say are clean, some companies might still be concerned that they could be held liable if a reusable container makes someone sick.
“The biggest concern really is around how comfortable industry members are for being able to clean and sanitize something they don’t have control of when it comes to a cup,” he said.
With disposable cups that come out of a package, retailers can have greater assurances around cleanliness. And unlike standard single-use cups, personal ones can come in all shapes and sizes. Some might have ridges in them or other features that could make them difficult to clean thoroughly.
What are the risks of reusable coffee mugs?
After temporarily stopping the use of personal cups in cafes during the pandemic, Starbucks resumed allowing people to bring their own containers in 2021. But it instituted multiple measures to address potential hygiene concerns. For instance, the coffee chain only accepts personal cups that its staff determines are clean. Workers also make the orders using a contactless process, which, in part, involves placing the reusable cup inside a ceramic mug.
The best practice for any consumer who wants to use a reusable cup is to wash their containers at home first, Chapman said.
While some coffee retailers might still be concerned about people bringing in contaminated containers that could make them sick, he said the potential hygiene risks around reusable cups are generally low. Coffee is not a great nutrient source for pathogens, he said. Drinks with dairy or nondairy milks could spoil, but it’s unlikely you wouldn’t clean your cup since it would be gross or smelly.
“We have no records of foodborne pathogen illnesses being transmitted through reusable cups,” he added.