It may seem trivial when you buy your morning coffee, but even the paper cups we take our coffee in are often lined with a plastic film to make them watertight.
Whether it's that morning coffee at the station, the fries at the snack bar, the meal salad at the supermarket, or the sandwich at the gas station – they all come in a disposable container or cup. However, the time of convenience over sustainability is over. From 1 July, new rules will apply that oblige entrepreneurs to offer a reusable option, which benefits the environment. But this change starts with us, the consumer.
Every day in the Netherlands we throw away 19 million plastic cups and food packaging that have only been used once. This is not only a waste of resources, but also creates a huge mountain of waste, often ending up in our streets and nature reserves. To reduce this mountain of waste and prevent litter, the government has decided to make reuse the norm.
Ask for that alternative, reusable option when picking up your meal salad, sandwich or soup. Entrepreneurs are required to offer a reusable option, and this small change in our daily habits can have a big impact on our planet.
From 1 July you pay extra for disposable cups and containers with plastic if you pick up food or drinks or have them delivered. These extra costs are stated separately on the receipt, so you immediately see how much you pay extra for the convenience of one-time use.
In addition, entrepreneurs are obliged to offer a reusable option. This can be done in two ways: either you bring your own reusable cup or container, or the entrepreneur offers one for which you pay a deposit and which you can return.
Entrepreneurs have the freedom to determine how much they charge for these items and what you pay remains in the pockets of the entrepreneurs. It is therefore not a burden but food for thought what you as a consumer are doing.
These measures are part of the European Single Use Plastics (SUP) directive and aim to reduce the impact of single-use plastic on the environment and to reuse and recycle more plastic. But these measures can only be effective if we, as consumers, change our habits.
“We want to leave the world tidy for our children and grandchildren. These new rules will help with that, because it will save an enormous amount of waste and litter. We use way too much disposable packaging. And that can really be different. That is why we are committed to reuse. Everyone can contribute by bringing their own cup or container or by choosing a cup or container with a deposit on it and returning it. Let's work together to ensure that reuse becomes the standard.”
Entrepreneurs have the freedom to determine how much they charge for these items and what you pay stays in the pockets of the entrepreneurs. It is therefore not a burden but food for thought what you as a consumer are doing. The government has drawn up the following guidelines:
- € 0,25 for a cup
- € 0,50 for a meal (possibly with several trays)
- € 0,05 for pre-packaged small portions of vegetables, fruit, nuts and portion packs for, for example, toppings and sauce
