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The ban is helping the industry transform for the better.
Street food packaging serves as more than just a means of transporting your carefully created meals. It plays a crucial role in preserving freshness, ensuring safety, and enhancing the overall dining experience.
In England, we use an estimated 2.7 billion pieces of single-use cutlery and 721 million single-use plates every year, but only 10% of these items are recycled.
The good news is, that as of 1st October 2023, restaurants and street food vendors can no longer supply or sell single-use plastic items. This ban includes plastic cutlery and plates, polystyrene containers and all other single-use plastic packaging.
“This new ban is the next big step in our mission to crack down on harmful plastic waste. It will protect the environment and help to cut litter – stopping plastic pollution dirtying our streets and threatening our wildlife.” – Rebecca Pow, Environment Minister
You may have ditched single-use plastics some time ago, but with so many sustainable alternatives out there, which is the best packaging material for you? Here are our top recommendations…
1) Compostable materials
Made from organic materials, compostable items break down naturally over time, reducing the burden on landfills and oceans. Such packaging is designed to decompose in six to twelve weeks in appropriate conditions and returns nutrients to our soil without producing any toxins.
2) Paper or cardboard
Another approach to sustainable street food packaging is to use materials that are easily recyclable, such as paper or cardboard which ensure that the packaging can be repurposed or recycled after use. This approach not only reduces waste but also encourages a circular economy, where materials are reused or recycled instead of being discarded.
3) Plant-based packaging
Vendors are also experimenting with plant-based packaging that mimics the functionality of traditional plastic containers, ensuring that the food remains fresh and intact while being environmentally friendly. Made from naturally renewable materials derived from plants, it can be produced at minimal cost to the environment in terms of materials and the processing involved.
So, ready to stock up on sustainable?
We’ve teamed up with Catering Appliance to give the first 200 vendors on My Streats a £20 voucher to spend with them (T&Cs apply*). The best part is that they now stock a great range of street food packaging, including compostable and plant-based items.
Shop packaging at Catering Appliance Superstore: https://www.catering-appliance.com/takeaway-food-packaging
*T&Cs
