Trading Standards is reminding businesses, such as takeaways, sandwich bars, care homes and retailers who supply certain single use plastic items, that a ban comes into force on October 1st 2023 meaning businesses across England will not be able to supply certain single use plastic items to the end user.
The ban includes all “single use” plastic cutlery, trays, plates, bowls, and balloon sticks, as well as banning the use of certain types of polystyrene cups and food containers used to supply food which is ready to consume* and will apply to retailers, takeaways, food vendors and the hospitality industry and applies to both online and over-the-counter sales.
‘Single use’ means the item is meant to be used only once for its original purpose.
The ban includes the supply of items by businesses from new and existing stock and will cover all types of single-use plastic – including biodegradable, compostable, recycled and items wholly or partly made from plastic, including the coating or lining.
Businesses who continue to supply single use plastic items after the legislation comes into effect could receive a hefty fine from Trading Standards.
The ban on these items will include:
- online and over-the-counter sales and supply
- items from new and existing stock
- all types of single-use plastic, including biodegradable, compostable and recycled
- items wholly or partly made from plastic, including coating or lining
*Polystyrene food and drink containers – may only be supplied for food or drink in a polystyrene container if the contents need further preparation before being consumed, e.g by adding water, microwaving or toasting.
Plates, bowls and trays may only be supplied if you are supplying them to another business or if the items are packaging (pre-filled or filled at the point of sale), e.g for
- a pre-filled salad bowl or ready meal packaged in a tray
- a plate filled at the counter of a takeaway
- a tray used to deliver food
You can read more about this change and exemptions to it in guidance published by The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA). If you have any questions about what the new rules mean for your business, contact Plastics.Consultation@defra.gov.uk
Why the ban is being enforced?
It is estimated that England uses 2.7 billion items of single use cutlery each year, and 721 million single use plates. Only 10% of these items are recycled.
Certain plastic items, such as straws stirrers and cotton buds, have already been banned.
Plastic pollution takes hundreds of years to break down and inflicts serious damage to our oceans, rivers, and land. It is also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, from the production and manufacture of the plastic itself to the way it is disposed.
It is expected that banning these items will have a significant impact on reducing plastic waste and littering in England. Plastic cutlery, for instance, was in the top 15 most littered items in the country by count in 2020.
What are the alternatives?
- Swap plastic for bamboo or wooden cutlery for takeaway food
- Swap plastic for metal cutlery for in-house guests
- Swap single use plastic plates or bows to re-usable alternatives that can be washed.
- Offer paper plates instead of plastic.
- Offer to refill customers’ water bottles or travel cups.
- Encourage customers to bring their own clean containers for takeaway food.
How to prepare for the ban
You can prepare your business for the new rules by:
- using up existing stock before 1 October
- finding re-usable alternatives to single-use items
- using different materials for single-use items
If you continue to supply banned single-use plastics after 1 October, you could be fined.
There are some exemptions to the ban, depending on the item.
Inspections
Local authorities will carry out inspections to make sure the rules are being followed.
Inspectors can:
- visit a shop or store
- make test purchases
- speak to staff
- ask to see records
