Insomnia Coffee Chain has announced the introduction of compostable takeaway coffee cups and paper straws across its network of outlets.
The move is part of Insomnia’s Mission Compostable (#missioncompostable), campaign, which, by 2020, will see 15 million takeaway coffee cups and 20 million single-use items such as plastic straws, plastic cups and plastic cutlery removed from landfill.
The coffee chain is also introducing segregated compostable bins in its stores, the first Irish coffee chain to do so.
These bins will also take any used compostable cup, allowing people to make sure their cups are sent for composting. The new compostable cups can also be disposed in the brown bin at home and the lids in the recyclable bin.
Mission Compostable
"Insomnia has always been a company that is connected and aware of its surrounds. We have been planning our Mission Compostable programme for over a year and made a significant investment in its rollout. We work with fantastic suppliers Zeus Packaging and Keywaste to make this possible. We have been Fairtrade Certified since 2006 serving 100% Fairtrade Coffee and supporting Fairtrade Community Projects since that year,” said Harry O'Kelly, CEO, Insomnia.
"We reward customers for using reusable cups, with extra points which equates to a discount of 20 cents, we give away our coffee grounds for customers to reuse and we ensure our stores continue to improve its energy efficiency with a number of energy reducing elements. Mission Compostable is a tangible and deliverable programme for the benefit of all".
Green Party leader, Eamon Ryan, welcomed the move, saying it “fits perfectly with our Protection of the Natural Environment mandate”.
“We want to see Ireland blossom with healthy soils, water and air and it is only with significant and tangible campaigns like Mission Compostable from Insomnia will we move towards achieving those goals for the benefit of all,” he said.
Compostable and recyclable cups are the new trend among Irish retailers, with Musgrave and Bewleys launching them in their stores in May.
© 2018 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Aidan O’Sullivan. Click subscribe to sign up for the Checkout print edition.
