Single-use plastic: Takeaways face ban in October

A ban on some single-use plastics will come into force in England from October, the government has announced.

To address the growing plastic problem, takeaways, restaurants and cafes must stop using single-use plastic cutlery, plates and bowls.

Green groups welcomed the move but said it could go further to address packaging landfill.

The UK takeaway campaign told BBC News businesses need more support to implement it.

Fish and chip restaurants and other takeaways will become more expensive as small businesses will be forced to pass higher packaging costs on to consumers, suggests Andrew Crook, who runs a fish and chip shop in Lancashire and vice-chairman of British Takeaway Campaign is.

The Department for Environment and Rural Affairs estimates that England uses around 2.7 billion pieces of single-use cutlery, mostly plastic, and 721 million single-use plates each year.

“We believe in doing our part for the environment, but many small businesses are just hanging on,” said Mr Crook.

Plastic-free packs are now more common in takeaways, he says, but could cost 12p a piece more.

At a kebab shop in London, Ibo says rising bills and fewer customers splashing on his takeaway burgers, kebabs and fries are worrying.

“It will cost us more to change the packaging. Not a fan of plastic myself, I wouldn’t use it if I had the choice. But how else can we pack our kebabs?” he told BBC News.

Some cafes have already stopped using single-use plastics. “It was a very positive story for us,” explains Louise Lateur, Managing Director of Backhaus E5 in London.

The cafe made the switch about five years ago and stopped using all disposable coffee cups entirely in 2021. Now a mix of compostable packaging and reusable cups or takeaway boxes is used.

At the counter, which sells pastries, bread and lunch, Helen Vandenhaute shows me her stackable “Tiffin tins” for take-out. Customers buy the cans, order takeout and bring the can back with them next time.

Initially, the cans were “pretty popular,” but they’re not widely used now. Customers still value convenience, Helen suggests.

Ban on single-use plastic:

Because compostable packaging is more expensive, “we’re now more careful about what we’re using a takeaway box for, so we’re probably reducing waste that way,” explains Helen.

While she shows me around, a cargo bike is parked in front of the front door. Danilo Ponzetta takes a large box of reusable cups and loads them onto the bike.

E5 encourages customers to bring their own mug, but those who forget can use a service provided by start-up Reuser, which is one of several companies offering this in London.

Customers download an app, scan the cup, and after enjoying the coffee, must return the cup to the coffee shop within 10 days or pay a fee. Reusers collect the cups, take them to be cleaned and return to the café.

It saved about 60,000 disposable coffee cups from landfill, explains CEO Andrew Matthews.

Helen says customers were initially put off by the extra steps. “But once people get past the barrier of a new system, they’re generally happy — it’s become normal here,” she says.

Ms Lateur says the risks of switching are scary and suggests the government give more incentives for companies to go green.

“Everyone needs to remember that all single-use items, regardless of the material, have an impact on the environment,” explains Helen Bird of climate change NGO WRAP, adding that more action is likely to be taken in the coming months to address other types of packaging.

“This announcement really just nibbles at the edges of a huge problem,” Greenpeace commented, urging the government to introduce targets for supermarkets to offer reuse programs.

Defra is considering introducing a deposit return system for beverage containers.