Fermoy coffee shops’ reusable cup scheme

A campaign to introduce reusable 2GoCup in eight coffee outlets in Fermoy will take place over the coming weeks.

The aim of the initiative is to substantially reduce the number of single use cups used in the town each week.

The coffee outlets in Fermoy taking part include Bella Café, Café Ed, Coffee Dock, Hanna’s, Jeni’s, The Coffee House, Grumpy Barista’s, and The Heron Café, while Inver will also be joining them within a few weeks.

A deposit and return initiative will be rolled out, with an official launch over the weekend of April 12. When buying a takeaway hot drink in the participating Fermoy outlets, customers will pay a deposit of €2 for a 2GoCup.

When finishing their coffee or at the end of the day or week, customers can hand this cup back to any of the participating businesses in Fermoy (or nationwide) and get their €2 back.

All the business will be charging a 20c surcharge on single-use cups. Should people want a second or third cup of coffee during the day, they are advised to hand in their 2GoCup, and the coffee purchased will be in a clean 2GoCup.

Alternatively, customers can bring their cup home, give it a rinse out, and be all set for the next day’s cuppa.

Speaking to The Echo, Gráinne O’Connor, organiser of the Together, Brewing Change in Fermoy initiative, said: “Each of the participating outlets have taken in a quantity of the 2GoCups. Over the new few weeks they are going to be educating people and letting them know about the system.

“They are all very enthusiastic about it and prepared to adopt this. It is very positive, and there is no downside to it.

“I have connected to the three secondary schools in Fermoy as well. All of those schools with teachers and groups are students are working to advocate and push the message across to the schools, to get buy-in from the students.”