The initiative, which will be rolled out across 150 Insomnia sites in the Republic of Ireland, will see the firm introduce 100% compostable takeaway cups. It will also be the first coffee chain in Ireland to install segregated compostable bins in-store.

Announcing the move, CEO Harry O'Kelly said the initiative represented a “significant investment” from the chain alongside other green initiatives.

"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,” he said.

Takeaway coffee cup and single-use plastic waste have become increasingly prominent issues in the coffee shop industry, with growing public awareness and increased media scrutiny on the issue.

In April, Boston Tea Party became the first UK coffee chain to ban disposable coffee cups across its 21 stores, instead requiring customers to switch to reusable cups.

In March, Starbucks trialled a 5p charge for single-use takeaway cups at a small group of London stores, a move which the coffee giant said prompted a 150% increase in reusable cup use.

Costa Coffee and Pret A Manger have both pledged to review single-use plastic in-store, with both replacing plastic straws with paper alternatives and offering incentives for re-usable cup use. Earlier this month fast-food giant McDonald’s followed suit by removing plastic straws from its outlets, also replacing them with paper versions.