Single-Use Plastic Ban: All You Need To Know

As per the Government announcement last month that England is set to roll-out a ban on certain single-use plastic in October this year, the hospitality industry is preparing for the bans to come in.

As much as the move is a positive one for the country’s overarching sustainability aims, there is undoubtedly a period of adjustment and understanding as the industry seeks to discern the mechanics of the ban – traders need to know what it boils down to; how exactly the ban will affect them.

The finer details of the ban are still yet to be confirmed, however what has been announced so far includes single-use plastic plates, trays, cutlery, bowls, balloon sticks as well as certain types of polystyrene cups and food containers. Effectively this means that come the Autumn, consumers will not be able to purchase any of these products from businesses in any sector.

This new law will bring England and Wales in line with Scotland and Northern Ireland, who both had previously introduced similar bans on single-use plastics in 2022 and 2020 respectively.

Our packaging partner BioPak have put together this handy table which details exactly what will be banned, and when those bans come into place:

Sustainability has become a key aim of most businesses in the UK reflective of wider sector aims and ambitious aims at Government level to see the nation become much more sustainable. The hospitality sector carries a lot of weight in this conversation, due to the nature of trade. Takeaways for example, are always associated with disposable plastic packaging / cutlery and the prevalent notions of the UK being something of a ‘throwaway’ society.

The use of sustainable solutions across the hospitality sector could contribute to a significant increase in the state of the UK’s environmental health and push the country further towards achieving its sustainability aims.