Trying to change people’s behavior is a hallmark of marketing. When a firm adopts this approach, it puts its future in jeopardy.
However, when a coffee shop owner takes this route, there is a high probability that it may significantly hurt their profits.
This is exactly what the owners of Otto Coffee House in Kent did to their customers:
Over the course of a month, the coffee shop collected more than 15,000 abandoned disposable cups from around the town and scattered them across its floor.
To buy a coffee in a disposable cup, customers must endure a “walk of shame,” wading through a sea of discarded cups to reach the counter.
But what about people with reusable cups?
Customers who brought reusable cups could collect their orders directly at the counter, avoiding the “walk of shame.”
Many of those who did endure the “walk of shame” were genuinely concerned about their environmental impact. The phrase they once used to justify their actions—”It’s just one cup”—was no longer reassuring. In fact, it highlighted a global problem.
This coffee shop made a bold attempt to prove a crucial point: when 8 billion people say, “It’s just one cup,” the collective impact on the planet is devastating.
What happened after the “walk of shame” campaign?
The owners moved from the high streets of Sevenoaks to Cornwall, where they continued their mission. Now, if customers don’t bring their own cup, they can get their coffee in a reusable jar with a £1 deposit. Once they return the jar, they get their deposit back.
They also have a mug wall where customers can pick one cup from the aisles of their choice and return it once they have finished drinking.
But if they are in a hurry and want a To-Go cup, there is a 25-cent upcharge to offset carbon footprint.
Why Did They Implement a $1 Deposit and a 25¢ Upcharge?
Drawing inspiration from the book Nudge, they realized that people are more motivated by the fear of loss than by the prospect of gain. This insight came from observing that Starbucks’ 25¢ discount for bringing a reusable cup had little impact on customer behavior.
Instead of offering a reward, they decided to introduce a subtle penalty—instilling a sense of loss—to encourage change. By requiring a $1 deposit and a 25¢ upcharge for disposable cups, they ensured that customers felt the financial impact of their choices, making them more likely to adopt sustainable habits.
“Bring your own cup to get a 25 cents discount” to “This cup costs you 25 cents if you are in a hurry, or if you have time, drink coffee in a jar with a dollar deposit.”
When they tracked customer behavior before and after implementing the upcharge, the use of disposable to-go cups dropped from 66% to 30%. This shift effectively cut the number of cups headed to landfills by half.
Although it was nerve-wracking for the owners at first, customers embraced the company’s vision and recognized their own responsibility.
In fact, they didn’t just accept the change—they actively spread the word, helping to amplify the company’s impact.
“This is a powerful example of pushing boundaries to influence consumer behavior—a hallmark of effective marketing.”