The UK Government have announced their plans to ban disposable plastic bar equipment

The UK Government have announced their plans to ban disposable plastic bar equipment by the end of the year. The ban will include straws, stirrers and plastic stemmed cotton buds.

The announcement was made last week at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London. At the meeting the government unveiled plans to work with the industry in developing alternatives and ensuring that there was time for businesses to adapt to the changes.

The plan has been devised to combat the extensive plastic waste that has been causing damage to the environment. The government say that in reducing the 8.5 billion plastic straws that are thrown away each year, the environment will benefit greatly.

The move comes after the hospitality industry has seen a host of businesses rejecting plastic straws in recent months. 60 independent festivals within the UK have expressed that they will ban plastic straws from their events this Summer. Catering Supplies and menu holder specialists, Smart Hospitality Supplies, have also committed to replacing their offering of plastic straws and stirrers with more environmentally friendly options. This sets an example for the rest of the industry whilst also providing the sector with better choice when searching for alternatives.

Supermarkets have also seen a change in attitudes, with leading supermarket, Iceland, committing to eliminate plastics from its own brand products by 2023. These changes have signified a change in attitude from society in large and also appears to have forced the governments hand in announcing their commitment to the same cause.