The "can seamer" (PET can), which the government has flagged as packaging that is hard to recycle, is expected to be phased out. But privately run cafes and beverage shops focused on delivery say it won't be easy to stop using it. Separate from environmental concerns, they worry about refunds and low-star reviews over leaks during delivery, and they also face the added burden of higher prices for alternative containers.
According to the cafe and beverage industry on the 6th, government guidance in recent days urging restraint in using can seamers has put delivery-focused coffee and beverage shops on edge. A can seamer is a packaging container made by combining a plastic (PET) body with an aluminum lid. Its use spread mainly among delivery-focused stores because it can reduce leaks during delivery.
In fact, an estimated 10% of all coffee and beverage shops—about 10,000 locations—use can seamers. The industry believes usage has increased particularly among independent cafes and beverage shops with a high share of delivery. This differs from large franchise coffee and beverage chains that use standard containers set by headquarters.
Hwang Ju-won (43), who runs a private cafe in Mapo District, Seoul, said, "There was a one-star review saying they couldn't properly drink the beverage because it leaked during delivery," adding, "I took pride in being a neighborhood favorite with an average 4.9-star rating, but that review dragged the rating down, so I decided to use can seamers to prevent this from happening at all." Hwang added, "I use can seamers only for delivery orders." Lee Su-hyun (21), a college student, said, "Coffee in a can seamer is less likely to spill and is easier to store than in a regular plastic cup container."
◇ After President Lee's criticism… discussions to phase out can seamers gather steam
Separate from the stability of this packaging, the government has moved to urge restraint in using can seamers. On the 28th, Lee Jae-myung, the president, proposed imposing a surcharge in relation to a phaseout plan during a Cabinet meeting. At the time, President Lee said, "We should consider applying an environmental surcharge and using it as a fund for recycling."
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment sent a notice to cafes and others requesting they refrain from using can seamers. Instead of immediately imposing the environmental surcharge proposed by the president, the ministry opted first to induce a voluntary switch to other packaging by the industry. The ministry is said to be reviewing a plan to gradually move into procedures to ban can seamers after that.
The recycling industry views this positively. A recycling industry official said, "Can seamers combine plastic and aluminum, and machines often recognize them as plastic and sort them as plastic," adding, "In that process, aluminum mixes into the plastic recycling stream, raising the defect rate." Kim Min-hee (25), a college student, said, "After ordering beverages for delivery, I worried about how to separate and dispose of can seamers," adding, "Because the body and lid are completely different materials, I once cut them with a knife and cut my hand."
◇ Small business owners face growing concerns over alternative container costs
Even so, delivery-focused cafes and beverage shops say it is hard to replace them easily. A store owner surnamed Kim (39) at a fruit juice specialty shop in Yongsan District, Seoul, said, "Even if we wrap the opening of a plastic cup and take care to prevent leaks, it can still leak during delivery. When there's a problem, it leads to refunds as well as negative reviews, which is very stressful," adding, "A can seamer, sealed completely by machine pressure, eliminates that worry, so for the past three years all delivery orders have gone out in can seamers."
The price burden of switching to single-material packaging instead of can seamers can't be ignored. Oh Hee-ran (30), who owns a cafe in Dongdaemun District, Seoul, said, "A can seamer costs about 100 to 150 won per unit, while an aluminum can is about 300 won," adding, "If we switch to single-material containers and also ensure beverages don't leak during delivery, we would have to change to aluminum cans, but that would inevitably raise our cost of goods."
On top of that, geopolitical risks stemming from the Middle East have recently increased packaging costs. A delivery-focused dessert and beverage shop owner surnamed Choi (32) in Seodaemun District, Seoul, said, "Because of the Middle East situation, prices for plastic containers and packaging remain unstable," adding, "We barely match unit costs with can seamers that suit delivery well, but if we have to exclude can seamers and find delivery-suitable packaging again, it will inevitably take time and money."
Lee Jong-u, a professor in the Department of Distribution and Marketing at Namseoul University, said, "In a delivery-centered consumption structure, both sellers and consumers have no choice but to prioritize packaging stability," adding, "Rather than unilaterally restricting use for environmental reasons, discussions on R&D of alternative containers and support measures that can reduce the burden on small business owners should proceed in tandem."