Starbucks halts use of reusable mugs over coronavirus concerns

Starbucks is temporarily halting the use of reusable mugs at their coffee shops due to concerns about spreading the coronavirus.

“We are pausing the use of personal cups and ‘for here’ ware in our stores,” Executive Vice President Rossann Williams wrote in a letter on the Seattle-based company’s website. “We will continue to honor the 10-cent discount for anyone who brings in a personal cup or asks for ‘for here’ ware.”

Williams wrote the company is following all guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including increased cleaning and sanitizing of their stores.

“The health and well-being of our partners and customers remains top of mind and our highest priority, and we will continue to act thoughtfully and courageously despite the disruption and uncertainty COVID-19 brings to our daily lives,” she added.

The company, which has stores all over the world, closed half of their coffee shops in China in January as the virus started to spread throughout the country, but many have since reopened, USA Today reported.

Starbucks has also restricted business-related air travel through the end of March and modified or postponed plans for large meetings across their United States and Canadian offices, according to Williams.

Seattle is at the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States. So far, 10 out of 11 U.S. deaths have been in Washington.