Cinema XXI Reinstates Ban on Audience Bringing Tumblers into Cinemas, Explains Reasons

Indonesia’s largest cinema network, Cinema XXI, has reaffirmed its policy prohibiting audience members from bringing personal water bottles or tumblers into the studio areas. This policy has triggered various reactions from film enthusiasts on social media.

According to gathered information, this rule is part of the company’s standard operating procedures (SOP) regarding the prohibition of bringing outside food and beverages. However, the re-tightening of the tumbler rule is said to be related to efforts towards service standardisation and waste management within the cinema premises.

Cinema XXI management emphasised that this policy is not merely an administrative rule but also carries a dimension of an environmental campaign currently being implemented by the company. In its official announcement, Cinema XXI highlighted the importance of transitioning towards more measurable habits regarding packaging usage within the cinema environment.

“Through this initiative, we are together helping to reduce the use of more than 20,000 pieces of plastic packaging and demonstrating that great changes can start from simple habits,” wrote Cinema XXI’s official announcement.

Although bringing personal tumblers is considered an eco-friendly action by some members of the public, the cinema operator has its own mechanisms for managing product consumption within their area to ensure cleanliness and comfort for all viewers.

Cinema XXI stated that their primary focus at present is to control the types of packaging circulating within the cinema to ensure they are easier to recycle or manage through their internal systems. By requiring the use of products available at the concessions, management claims they can more effectively calculate and reduce the collective carbon footprint and plastic waste.

Currently, staff at studio entry checkpoints will request audience members bringing tumblers to store them in luggage storage or finish their contents before entering the viewing area.

This policy is expected to be supported by loyal customers to create a more orderly cinema ecosystem that aligns with the company’s sustainability targets. For viewers who wish to remain hydrated, Cinema XXI provides various beverage options with packaging that has been adjusted to meet their environmental management standards.