Starbucks is About to Make a Change in Mississauga

Starbucks, the gourmet coffee giant that’s made headlines for creating unicorn-inspired beverages and partnering with UberEats (you really can get a half-sweet, soy, extra hot vanilla latte anywhere now), is about to change the way people sip its coffee. 

Last March, the company announced it would be rolling out new lightweight, recyclable strawless lids for iced beverages in select markets around the country. 

This week, the brand announced that its strawless lids will be hitting stores in Toronto this month.

Not surprisingly, Toronto will be the first city in the country to receive the new lids–but don’t let that disappoint you.

The brand says it plans to launch in the lids throughout the rest of Canada in 2020.  

Starbucks says the new lid marks a “key milestone” as the company works to phase out plastic straws from its more than 28,000 stores worldwide by 2020, eliminating more than 1 billion straws a year.

“Last summer, we led the movement to eliminate plastic straws,” says Michael Conway, executive vice president and president, Starbucks Canada, in a statement released in the spring. “But rather than replacing plastic straws, we’re focusing our efforts on reducing waste with the introduction of a recyclable strawless lid.”

The company has been using strawless lids for iced beverages in Vancouver and Seattle, but recently has redesigned them to be more lightweight.

The lid uses nine per cent less plastic than the current lid and straw.

Those with who require straws should note that they will still to be available upon request.