For Recycle Week, Starbucks wanted to show what it was doing about paper cups. We built a broadcast PR campaign around its new initiative: cups from any brand could be returned in store and recycled, using new collection trays made from recycled cups. Their spokesperson went on air across a radio day of interviews, explaining that Starbucks is working towards making every part of the cup recyclable and setting out its plans to reduce its environmental impact. The campaign secured 14 items of radio coverage reaching 2.1 million listeners, including Radio News Hub and BBC Radio Leicester.
14Items of coverage
2.1 millionCombined reach
1h 28mTime on air
The story
Starbucks, Recycle Week
The aim
Starbucks wanted to raise awareness of its paper cup recycling initiative and explain its plans to reduce its environmental impact.
The message
Starbucks is working towards making every part of the cup recyclable. Its new collection trays mean cups of any brand can be brought back and properly recycled.
The angle
For Recycle Week, Starbucks launched a paper cup initiative allowing cups from any brand to be returned in store and recycled, using new collection trays made from recycled cups.
The result
14 items of coverage reaching 2.1 million, including Radio News Hub, BBC Radio Leicester.
About Recycle Week
Recycle Week is the annual flagship campaign of Recycle Now, run by the environmental charity WRAP with retailers, brands, councils and governments. It aims to get people to recycle more of the right things, more often, and has run since 2004. In 2026 it was scheduled for 14 to 20 September. Stations plan their coverage of it in advance, which makes it a strong hook for a broadcast PR campaign.
Planning Recycle Week for 2027?
Recycle Week usually runs in September; the 2027 dates have not yet been announced. Talk to the team about a broadcast PR campaign that gets your spokesperson on radio and TV.
