Customer complains after the ‘only special coffee shop in Singapore’ wouldn’t provide a straw ‘because want to go green’

A netizen took to social media to complain about a Serangoon Avenue coffee shop that refused to give its customers a straw in an effort to be more environmentally conscious. 

Mr Darren Tan wrote about his experience on the COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook page on Oct 2 (Sunday).

The coffee show in question is located at Block 237, Serangoon Avenue 3.

“They charge $1.70 for a can drink and tell you they don’t provide straw because want to go green,” he wrote, adding, “cut cost say cut cost la.”

However, he underlined that for older people it’s “very inconvenient to drink without (a) straw….i think this is the only special coffee shop in Singapore.”

Mr Tan added to his post a photo of two cold drinks, one in a glass and a beverage can.

A number of commenters on his post appeared to agree with him that refusing to provide straws is an economic rather than environmental measure.

“Everybody is using going green as an excuse to cut costs, as if they have never heard of recycled paper straw before,” one wrote.

“Ask them how exactly does it help to save the environment and chances are they don’t even know. Agree, just any opportunity to cut costs.”

“Great excuse for increasing profits,” another wrote.

Others suggested that biodegradable straws be used in Singapore, just like in other countries, but not everyone agreed.

One pointed out that in Vietnam, this is already the practice. “We are using rice degradable straw in Vietnam. Majority of restaurant and street food too are using paper straw.”

In December, McDonald’s announced it was replacing its plastic straws with sippy lids for cold beverages, also for the sake of the environment.

The announcement sparked an online debate among netizens, with some questioning the logic behind replacing plastic with plastic.

“Our last straw effort,” wrote McDonald’s Singapore wittily on Facebook on Dec 9. “Small changes can make a big difference. This is our last straw effort…towards zero waste for a better planet. Stay tuned!” it added.

And then in an update on Dec 10, the fast-food giant confirmed that it was switching to strawless lids for all cold beverage paper cups as part of its collective journey towards a greener planet.

But this left netizens puzzled.

“Replaces plastic straws with plastic lids,” said Facebook user Radha Krishna. Another netizen asked, “And the lid is plastic?” /TISG

“Replace PLASTIC straw with PLASTIC lid? What logic?” — Netizens on McDonald’s’ move to replace straws with sippy lids