Customer sparks backlash with images of bizarre new coffee shop products: 'Why are these a thing?'

If you're bored with your traditional cups of coffee, why not get a coffee served in a bucket? It sounds strange, but apparently that's the latest trend at some cafes around the U.S. The upside is that you'll be wide awake for the day ahead, but many consumers are roasting it for being wasteful.

What happened?

In r/Anticonsumption, the user shared a photo of the buckets offered at three coffee shops. All the coffees look delicious, but it's safe to say one person probably doesn't need that much coffee in the morning.

"Can y'all hear my long sigh from there?" the original poster said.

"Why? Why are these a thing?" one person commented.

"Capitalism will encourage companies to come up with innovations and ideas that make humanity better, they said. It will help us reach unprecedented progress, they said," another shared.

Why is plastic waste concerning?

Aside from the unnecessary amount of coffee, the buckets also generate a ton of plastic, which ends up in the oceans and other parts of the environment. It can also pile up in landfills and release toxic chemicals into the soil and water.

According to Plastic Bank, humans produce around 440 million pounds of plastic annually, but only around 9% gets recycled. It's almost certain that these buckets would not end up in recycling, as not every city offers it.

Are companies doing anything about this?

These cafes are not likely to stop selling the coffee buckets anytime soon, as the gimmick is working, according to The New York Times.

However, some coffee chains, such as Starbucks, are making efforts to cut plastic use by introducing cold cups made of 20% less plastic last year and aiming to make all its packaging reusable, compostable, or recyclable by 2030, per Fox 5 New York. Even better, the brand brought back its "for here" ceramic mugs to use and return when enjoying a beverage in-house.

What's being done about plastic waste more broadly?

Other coffee brands and city programs are cutting plastic use, including Nestlé, which has introduced paper packaging for several products. In Petaluma, California, city officials have launched a reusable cup project that offers sustainable purple cups at Starbucks and at locations that serve Coca-Cola and Pepsi products.

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If you want to help, consider cutting back on single-use plastic bottles by switching to reusable ones, and try brewing more coffee at home instead of taking out.

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