The UK government has announced sweeping restrictions that will impact food and beverage manufacturers across the country. The ban will extend to most types of single-use plastics including compostable, biodegradable, and recycled variants and will affect both new and existing stock.
Businesses are advised to prepare for the ban by switching to reusable materials or non-plastic alternatives. They should also aim to utilize their remaining single-use plastic stock by 1 October. Following implementation of the new regulations, businesses will no longer be permitted to supply single-use plastic bowls, plates, or trays to the public – with a few exemptions – nor will they be able to provide single-use plastic cutlery and balloon sticks. Polystyrene containers are also within the scope of the ban.
Despite the wide-ranging impact of the ban, not all disposable plastic packaging will be affected. For example, plastic soft-drink bottles will be exempt. According to Jessica Burt, a food and beverage lawyer at Mills & Reeve, packaging that is designed and intended to be filled at the point of sale or those that are pre-filled also qualifies for exemption. Such packaging encompasses disposable plates and cups, paper or plastic carrier bags, cling film, sandwich bags, among others. In addition, polystyrene containers will still be permitted if the food or drink they contain needs further preparation before being consumed.
The ban means that manufacturers will need to reformulate their packaging, sourcing alternative supply and managing costs. The effects on consumer safety, food safety, and food waste will need to be considered with a specific change in food provision. Uptake of such changes should be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by food and beverage businesses, with HACCPs and risk assessments reviewed and recorded wherever necessary.
Similar restrictions are envisaged in the EU, specifically under the ‘Proposal for a revision of EU legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste’. The proposal’s broad restrictions aim to make EU plastic more sustainable and reduce plastic waste across the complete life-cycle of the material. For instance, such packaging should outline its composition so that consumers can recycle it accurately. These reforms are extensive and novel and will be implemented over the coming decades.
According to Burt, recycling targets, reducing landfill, and overall extension of producer responsibility are the primary concepts that will remain applicable, while specific aspects are expected to pose enforcement challenges.
Businesses should prepare themselves for a future where regulations mandate packaging to be designed with reuse or refilling as the primary objective. Although there might be difficulties in enforcing regulation compliance, Burt reassures businesses that the expected outcome will be beneficial for everyone in the long-term.
