A Food Packaging Takeaway
Ordering pizza, curry or Pad Thai is part of many families weekly routine. A night off cooking, a convenient option on a busy day or a tasty treat, we love a takeaway! However, there is a downside to our indulgence and that’s the packaging. Takeaway meals may be arriving in new food packaging this Autumn.
Plastic Takeaway Packaging
In England, we use 2.7 billion items of single-use plastic cutlery a year and 721 million disposable plates. The majority of these are used to consume takeaway food. You have to use something to eat that lunchtime pasta pot or bowl of noodles, so we grab the available cutlery. With our meal consumed, that plastic fork and container go in the bin. Five minutes use, thousands of years to break up and pollute the earth.
City to Sea is a Bristol-based charity that is driving environmentally beneficial changes across the UK. They spearheaded the #CutTheCutlery campaign and took a petition with 104,311 signatures to Parliament. This has been one of the driving forces behind the latest ban on plastic packaging.
Ban on Plastic Packaging
On Sunday 1 October, the ban on plastic packaging came into force. Retailers and takeaways are no longer permitted to supply the following items to customers:
- Single-use plastic packaging
- Polystyrene cups
- Polystyrene containers
In addition, there are restrictions on single-use trays and bowls, along with balloon sticks.
This move is said to have considerable public support, but what are the alternative packaging options for food retailers?
Cardboard Containers & Sustainable Spoons
Fish and chip boxes were the first cardboard takeaway packaging order that we manufactured. This was years ago, when chippies were looking to serve the British classic in something other than polystyrene containers. Pizza boxes have always been cardboard and we are now seeing an increasing number of food containers made from corrugated cardboard or carton board.
Corrugated cardboard is naturally insulating, so it helps to keep hot food warm and cold food cool. In addition, food-safe, moisture-resistant coatings can be applied to the inside of takeaway boxes to prevent the boxes from going soggy and sauces leaking out. What’s more, there are now fully recyclable films.
Biodegradable cups and bowls are now widely available, along with compostable wooden cutlery. Therefore, there are plenty of options for retailers that can no longer supply plastic crockery and cutlery to customers. However, does banning a few items really make a difference?
Does Banning Plastic Packaging Make a Difference?
Charging for single-use carrier bags has reduced their use by 98%*. Banning plastic straws has prevented 1.8 million from entering landfill in a year. These figures show that, whilst there is always more to be done, changes in law do make a difference. However, it’s not all down to the Government. Businesses and organisations are embracing new collaborations and innovations too.
A Sporting Chance to Address Plastic Packaging Issue
From Wembley to Wimbledon, feeding fans at major sporting events is big business. Such occasions also generate considerable volumes of packaging waste. Last year, UEFA took a stand. The football association collaborated with NotPla, Just Eat, PepsiCo and Heineken to promote sustainable takeaway packaging.
As a result, no single-use plastic packaging was available at the Women’s Champions League Final in 2022. This one event was said to save around 20,000 units of packaging waste. In its place, reusable, compostable or biodegradable cutlery and containers were supplied by the food retailers. On the back of this success, the initiative was rolled out at the Men’s Champions League Final in Istanbul.
Festivals also produce high volumes of waste, but many are taking a stand. This year, Glastonbury Festival ticket holders were asked to bring a reusable water bottle. No plastic bottles were sold on-site and retailers were encouraged to opt for sustainable packaging.
The more events that follow these and other examples, the greater the chance of making notable gains to reduce plastic waste.
Sustainable Packaging: Takeaways and More!
If your business is looking for cardboard containers as part of your move towards sustainable packaging, get in touch with Aylesbury Box Company. We manufacture boxes in standard sizes or bespoke dimensions, to best suit your requirements. Our cardboard finish options include recyclable, food-grade, moisture-resistant coatings. We can also print your branding on the box.
Call us for advice, a quote and a sample on 01296 436888 or email enquiries@abcbox.co.uk
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