Get ready for less single-use plastic

Plastic can be a very useful material. But we use it too much and when we don’t dispose of it properly it can cause significant harm.

The Government has already banned some hard-to-recycle and single-use plastics. From 1 July, the next step in phasing out single-use and hard-to-recycle plastic begins.

Find out how to prepare now, including how to tell if your plastic items are designed for single-use.

Items to be banned or restricted from 1 July 2023

Single-use plastic produce bags

The ones you put your fruit and vegetables in at the supermarket – will become a thing of the past.

Single-use plastic drinking straws

They will no longer be widely available. Only disabled people and those with health needs will be able to access them.

Single-use plastic tableware and cutlery

This means those single-use plastic plates and cutlery you get at parties will be replaced by reusable or non-plastic alternatives (eg, paper).

Plastic produce labels

Plastic produce labels like the ones you find on apples will start to change. This is as industry work towards a home compostable version.

No longer available for sale

Some polystyrene takeaway food and drink packaging and some PVC food trays and containers were banned from 1 October 2022.

Also banned are all cotton buds with plastic stems, plastics with pro-degradant additives and plastic drink stirrers.

Plastic products to be phased out from mid 2025

All other PVC and polystyrene food and drink packaging

Food and beverage packaging made primarily from PVC or rigid polystyrene will disappear from shop shelves.