70-cent espresso? Only if you bring your own cup in this Italian town

Also, don’t forget your own sugar and spoon

Would you be willing to pay less for a coffee in a bar if you bring your own cup, spoon and sugar? That precisely is the novel idea that a café in the Italian town of Millesimo has decided to implement.

Usually, the cup of espresso in this Ligurian town sets you back about 1.20 euros, however, the bar in question has decided to offer the product for only 70 cents if customers bring everything else that is required for consumption.

That way, customers can save almost half on the price of their favourite beverage when they visit La Bottega del Caffè – the name of the establishment in question.

Sustainability-minded small business or a jab at unbridled inflation?

These kinds of initiatives tend to be promoted as good for the environment, charting the way for a new type of consumerism that is mindful of the limited nature of resources, and the need to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the management of La Bottega del Caffè, these concerns are also partially behind the attractive offer, since it saves water and electricity from having to wash less cups and cutlery.

However, the main reason behind the promotion seems to have more with the cost-of-living crisis, which has given rise to some scandalous situations in Italian society. Some of these, such as establishments asking for 2 euros to cut a sandwich in half or to bring an extra plate to share a dish, have been picked up by the local media as examples of unethical practices by food businesses.

According to Valentina Venturino, who owns the café together with her parents, quoted by La Repubblica, the idea for the cheap espresso came during a family chat. That home discussion touched upon the issues troubling the entrepreneurs, such as the price increases in raw materials, such as coffee, that threaten a custom beloved by most Italians.

Reportedly, the idea has found a warm reception already and customers have started packing cups and sugar sachets on their way to work in the morning.