The European Union and the Dutch government are going to introduce new rules regarding the single use of disposable cups. From January 1, 2024, there will be a ban on the use of disposable plastic cups for on-site consumption. From that moment on, the cups must be reusable. However, this applies earlier for consumption on the go, from 1 July 2023. Not only will there be a ban on free plastic disposable cups, it will also be mandatory to offer a reusable alternative. In this blog we therefore tell you everything about the new legislation for disposable cups.
Fight plastic soup
Given that there are currently around 150 million tonnes of plastic floating around in the oceans, the European Commission concluded an agreement in December 2018 to plastic soup to counteract. The agreement contains several measures, the first of which already entered into force on 3 July 2021. Some disposable plastic products have since been banned. Think of plastic straws, cotton swabs, balloon sticks, etc. In addition, plastic bags must be paid for and there is now a deposit on small plastic bottles. From July 1, 2023, disposable cups for on the go will be added and from January 1, 2024, reusable coffee cups will also become the norm in the office.
Coffee in a coffee cup to go
As an entrepreneur, do you sell coffee in a coffee cup to go? Fine, but from 1 July 2023 the legislation will change. From that date, you as an entrepreneur are obliged to charge the consumer an additional price for a single-use plastic drinking cup. The amount may not be settled in the price of the product and must be visible as a separate amount on the invoice. In addition, you are obliged to offer a reusable alternative. One of the ways to give substance to this is through reusable coffee cup to offer. That of course entails a lot of hassle and arranging, but you can also see it as a marketing opportunity. For example, you can use the reusable coffee cup printed with, for example, your logo .
Reusable coffee cups are becoming the norm
For consumption on location, such as at the office, the canteen, in the snack bar or at a festival, reusable coffee cups or washable mugs will become the norm from 1 January 2024. So there will be a ban on single-use plastic cups. If disposable plastic cups are really necessary for your company, or if there is no possibility to wash the mugs or crockery, for example, you can continue to use them. In that case you need 75 to 90% of the packs yourself collect again for high-quality recycling. “In practice, this is difficult to achieve, especially for small entrepreneurs,” experts predict. 'High quality' means that the material can come back as food contact material.
Alternative disposable cups
As indicated, you as an entrepreneur will soon also be obliged to offer a reusable alternative or to have your customers pay for the plastic variant. The suggested retail price for this is €0.25 per cup. In the already very expensive time, it is of course quite difficult to have to calculate another € 0.25 on top of the already increased prices. Your best choice is therefore to offer your customers reusable coffee cups, possibly with your logo, for consumption on the go. For on-site consumption, you can switch to a ceramic service.
Contact us
We understand better than anyone that this new legislation can have a major impact on your business operations. Do you have questions, would you like advice for a suitable interpretation for your organization or would you like more information about our reusable coffee cups? Please feel free to contact us. You can reach us by filling in the contact form on our website.