Status: 01/24/2023 08:19 a.m
Since the beginning of the year, restaurateurs who sell food on the go have also had to offer their products in reusable packaging. Waste should be easier to avoid. In some places, however, there are still problems.
Takeaway is quick and convenient, but also creates huge amounts of packaging waste. According to the Federal Ministry for the Environment, the amount of waste generated by disposable plastic packaging in the to-go and takeaway sectors is currently 770 tons per day. Projected over the year, this results in more than 280,000 tons of waste.
upper limit for the price
With the legal requirement to offer reusable packaging, a first step was taken to curb the volume of disposable plastic packaging. The North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice center welcomes the new law. “Previously, there was no right to receive food or drink in reusable form, it depended on the company,” says Friederike Farsen, who is responsible for food and the environment at the consumer center.
Environmentally conscious consumers could now easily avoid packaging waste when they want to enjoy food or a drink on the go. Because now there is the possibility and it is required by law that the reusable variant must not be more expensive than the product in the disposable packaging.
Exceptions for small shops
However, the consumer advice center criticizes the fact that the new law only applies to single-use plastic containers and not to all single-use materials. “Anyone who fills in aluminum or cardboard one-way doesn’t have to change anything. There is no one-way ban, but a reusable bid,” explains Farsen.
Smaller shops such as snack bars, late-night shops and kiosks that employ a total of five people or fewer and that have a retail area of no more than 80 square meters are exempt from the obligation. However, these companies must enable their customers to have their own reusable containers filled.
Chains such as train station bakeries cannot make use of the exception for small businesses. The sales area of the individual sales outlets may be less than 80 square meters. But if there are more than five employees working in the entire company, the exception does not apply to them.
Conversion associated with high costs
Ingrid Hartges, General Manager of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (DEHOGA), says that most companies had already significantly reduced disposable items before the reusable offer obligation came into force. However, the challenges are great: “For our industry, the new obligation to offer reusable products involves considerable organizational and logistical effort,” emphasizes Hartges.
In order to be able to offer food in reusable containers in a hygienically safe manner, the companies would also have to create the structural and technical conditions in the sales outlet. According to Hartges, this all entails new costs. “For most of our companies, this means additional burdens in challenging times.”
The big ones have prepared
Large companies have been preparing for the introduction of the returnable deposit system for a long time. The fast food chain McDonalds has been conducting extensive tests in selected restaurants since November 2021. According to a spokeswoman, there was intensive employee training.
“Our goal was to test the new kitchen processes and adjust them if necessary. In addition, the feedback from our guests and employees from the test restaurants last year was valuable for the ongoing optimization of our reusable packaging.”
With the reusable system, the focus is initially on hot and cold drinks and ice cream. “Our paper boxes for burgers in Germany have no plastic coating and are therefore not subject to the reusable offer obligation,” said the spokeswoman. If the customer orders the product in reusable packaging, he has to pay a deposit of two euros per reusable packaging at McDonalds. It is not intended for the customer to bring his own container.
Reusable system with hooks and eyes
However, this is particularly possible in smaller companies. “The company is responsible for the food – even if you bring your own containers to fill them. However, the providers are not liable for the hygienic condition and suitability of the customer’s own containers,” says consumer advocate Farsen.
The containers may only be placed in a designated area of the counter. Containers with dubious suitability or identifiable soiling do not have to be filled. The consumer center also points out that the reusable system only works if the empty containers are returned quickly.
“Little interest and much ignorance”
However, Farsen doubts that all affected companies will really have an offer: “Actions and round tables on site show that there is still little interest and a lot of ignorance about the new requirements in restaurants or snack bars.”
The consumer advice center also criticizes the lack of incentives for consumers to use the new offers. Although reusable should not be more expensive, there is also no prescribed bonus. It can therefore be assumed that many customers will continue to choose the more convenient option in the future – and that is called disposable.