Soggy in 1 minute? Singaporeans unimpressed by Milo packet drink's paper straw

More businesses have been phasing out plastic straws in the interests of the environment. For some Singaporeans, though, having to use a paper alternative with their Milo packet drinks was the last straw.

Milo had rolled out paper straws for its packet drinks here in February, hot on the heels of similar initiatives in neighbouring countries Indonesia and Malaysia. But it seems Singaporeans aren't too pleased — at least going by the reception on a Dec 8 Reddit post.

Sharing a picture of the drink and its new implement, one Reddit user had appeared to be enthusiastic about the change, writing: "Milo packets now have paper straws!"

But the post, which saw over 1,400 upvotes in less than a day, sparked a number of complaints.

Among the most common were gripes about the straws bending and getting soggy relatively quickly. Some even claimed that the paper affected the taste of the drink.

Others questioned whether paper straws were really better than plastic straws, particularly in light of research showing that the production of paper straws actually produces more carbon emissions than the production of plastic straws.

In response to AsiaOne's queries, Nestle Singapore, which produces the drink, said that improved paper straws are coming "early next year".

Nestle Singapore confirmed it was aware of the online feedback, explaining that the change was part of its global commitment to make 100 per cent of their packaging reusable or recyclable by 2025. 

As part of its campaign, the Swiss conglomerate has been steadily rolling out initiatives to eliminate the use of plastic straws in its products since February last year. 

kimberlylim@asiaone.com