Help the Homeless and Hard Done By with a Coffee from Pret.

January 24, 2018

Not technically my own thoughts, but I needed to share this with you today.


If you're actively into coffee industry news, you'll know that the large chain Pret recently increased the discount customers have off their cups of coffee if they bring in their own reusable cup. 


This is ahead of the 25p levy tax on paper cups which government wants to introduce (more on that another time, when my head isn't fuzzy after eating a handful of marshmallows - true story). This has lead to many coffee shops, small and large, considering what they can do to increase customers bringing in their own reusable cups to avoid the charge. 




Pret, being as big as it is (and with cheap and not-great coffee), realised they could implement the 50p discount with minimal effect. To be honest, the huge marketing behind this move from third party sources may have even helped Pret make more money from it - I wouldn't be completely surprised after all of the positive social media feedback I've seen. However, I'd completely ignored this news up until the other day when I saw a tweet highlighting why this is, actually, a very good thing (if we don't look into the obvious ecological benefits):




Yep, filter coffee in chains are cheap. Dirt cheap. Therefore, going in with a reusable cup means that cheap cup of coffee will be, heck, even cheaper. (good maths there Izzy)


Sure, it's not free, and it would be great to see this chains shaking up their CSR and offering 'pay it forward' coffees or homeless schemes (although food programmes from the likes of Pret and others are great!), but this is still better than nothing. The idea that a homeless person can grab themselves a hot filter coffee for 49p is absolutely brilliant. I feel that this is the greatest thing which has come out of this move from Pret, as this is really helping people who may not have been able to afford that as much. Although Pret doesn't seem to have commented on the concept behind this, they have fully backed the 49p filter coffee by including it on their instagram page: 


 To me, this also makes me feel happy that any homeless people coming in and ordering this won't be looked down upon - something which I could understand to be quite embarassing for them. 


I talk about the concept behind the luxury of coffee quite a lot, and this just cements it. This is so much more than simply giving homeless or hard-done-by people a chance to have a bit of caffeine and refreshment through coffee, but it also means that they can have that same feeling all of us lot get when we treat ourselves to a cup of coffee. It's that humanising transaction and idea that someone is making something for you to enjoy that may have a lasting impression on those who are otherwise feeling like they are excluded from society. 


Until next time, lovelies x 




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