Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry are facing backlash after they were seen drinking from plastic cups during an outing at the Coachella music festival, despite the former Canadian prime minister’s push to restrict single-use plastics.The couple have been romantically linked since mid-2025 and attended the first weekend of the California festival, with Perry sharing photos and videos on Instagram showing them spending time together in the crowd.Photos posted by Perry showed the couple walking hand-in-hand on the festival grounds, as well as sitting between performances and eating snacks. In several clips, they were both seen holding red plastic cups while watching shows, including one captured during Justin Bieber’s headlining set.The photos spread on the X website, where some users accused Trudeau of hypocrisy.During his time in office, the Trudeau government announced a ban on certain single-use plastics in June 2019. Federal regulations came into effect in December 2022 and targeted items such as checkout bags, cutlery, stir sticks and some food service tools. The sales restrictions were later expanded in December 2023. The policy was introduced to reduce plastic pollution and protect wildlife and oceans.
Following photos of Coachella, X users wondered why Trudeau could be seen drinking from plastic cups in a public place associated with a high-profile environmental agenda.One user wrote: “And this hole drinks from a plastic cup, after it was banned throughout the country.”But others defended the former prime minister, considering that he had no control over what was presented at the festival. One user said: “What are they supposed to do in this situation? Refuse the drink? They won’t have any other mechanisms.”Furthermore, it is important to note that not all plastic cups are prohibited under Canadian regulations. The restrictions focus on specific types of harmful single-use plastics, including some food service items made from materials such as expanded polystyrene foam and PVC, while other plastic products remain legal.
