Single Use Cutlery Ban

by Jenna Murray | Aug 23, 2023 | Enviroware, News, Solutionware

Single use cutlery ban - survey

A survey by Sapio Research, conducted on behalf of Celebration Packaging, has looked at consumer understanding of the bans on single-use plastic packaging, single-use cutlery alternatives and expectations around reusables.

53% of consumers expect cutlery V2 1920 x 1808

Single-use cutlery bans

Bans on the sale of single-use packaging, including cutlery, are already in place in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and will be introduced in England and Wales in October 2023.

“As a long-established packaging supplier, and with bans on single-use items such as cutlery (either in place or coming soon), we were keen to discover consumer’s views and the potential impact on food-to-go operators,” says Celebration Packaging Managing Director Nick Burton. “Here we look at the provision of cutlery in takeaways and at consumer’s expectations around reusables.”

Eating out – without single use cutlery

Faced with a ban on single-use plastic cutlery, the survey showed that more than half (53%) of consumers still expect a food outlet or takeaway to provide cutlery for them, while 46% said they were happy to carry their own cutlery for consuming food on the go.

In place of single-use plastic cutlery, more than half of consumers would prefer reusable bamboo (54%) or metal (53%) cutlery.

“The fact that more than 50% of people expect cutlery to be provided, suggests that there is going to be an ongoing demand for single-use cutlery in some form. So, with the ban on single-use plastic, we need to offer the best recyclable or compostable alternatives, or be able to supply viable reusable options,” says Nick Burton. “Celebration Packaging supplies a range of alternative cutlery options, from wood and bamboo, to moulded fibre (bagasse) and paper.”

Take away salad on the go with plastic cutlery

types of compostable cutlery by enviroware

Expectations around reusables

When asked: ‘Roughly how many times would you expect to be able to reuse a reusable item, such as cutlery’, half (50%) said that they expected reusable items to be able to be used up to 10 times, while over one fifth (23%) expected to be able to reuse an item more than 50 times. “While people might expect a reuse rate of between x10 to x50, there is currently no agreed definition as to how many times cutlery – or packaging of any type – must be used to justify calling it reusable,” says Nick Burton. “It is important to deliver on consumer expectations on reusables, and ensure they have the longest possible life. Ever since we launched our EnviroWare® brand, over 14 years ago, we have sought out the most durable and sustainable options.”

Continued demand for single-use solutions

“The survey shows that 53% of consumers expect a food-to-go outlet to provide cutlery, while 51% of consumers never, or rarely use reusable cutlery for eating on the go. It is therefore clear that takeaways are still going to have a requirement for single-use cutlery of some kind, despite the bans,” concluded Nick Burton.

As a consultative business with many years’ experience in the sector, Celebration Packaging can help outlets choose the most appropriate solutions that best match their business. In our next review of the outcomes of this survey, we will look at material options and the levels of consumer understanding around sustainability and end of life options.

Eco-friendly 5 top tips

by Jenna Murray | Jun 5, 2023 | Enviroware, News, Solutionware

Monday 5th June 2023 is “World Environment Day”. With this in mind, here are our 5 top tips on how to do your bit to help save the environment.

Rinse that recycling

Most empty packaging from our kitchens (or households in general) can be recycled.

In order for recyclables to be processed, they should be clean and placed in the correct recycling bin.

Removing waste food and rinsing used packaging, gives it the best chance of being recycled – dirty packaging could be rejected and end up in landfill.

Materials suitable for kerbside collection can vary between Councils throughout the UK. Generally the following are widely accepted:

Glass bottles, foil trays, clear plastic food containers and drinks bottles (made from PET, rPET, HDPE), paper and card.

Re-use

Many food containers are fit for more than one use. Polypropylene (PP) food containers such as Celebrations versa2go containers or clear rectangular PP food containers, are perfect for freezing and storing left over foods. PP plastic is strong and durable, it’s normally safe to use in microwaves and freezers to.

Always check that food containers are damage free, fit for purpose (i.e. do they have the freezer safe / microwavable symbols?) and thoroughly clean before reuse.

650ml takeaway food container clear plastic with lid

Save time cooking

& prevent food waste

On a similar note, whether food containers are reused or brand new – they are useful for pre-preparing or batch cooking meals at home.

This can help prevent food waste – using up ingredients in the fridge that would otherwise have gone out of date, freezing the meal until you need it at a later date.

Repurpose and upcycle

Could you find a new use for packaging before it heads off for recycling?

Whether it be using that Christmas chocolate tin as a cake tin, plastic food trays as plant pots or seed trays or crafting with the children.

so much packaging can be given a new lease of life.

Home composting

Many councils across England do not currently collect food waste as part of their kerbside collections. Unfortunately, this can lead to lots of food scraps going to landfill, where they decompose slowly creating greenhouse gasses.

In the UK, there are around 27 million people who partake in gardening (lovethegarden.com).

Fruit & vegetable peelings from the kitchen can be home composted – giving a valuable supply of homemade compost. Recyclenow.com have a handy guide on “How to start home composting”.

Plastic Packaging Tax coming to the UK in 2023

by Jenna Murray | Mar 23, 2022 | Celebration, News, Solutionware

Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT)

Missed opportunities and a lack of international certification

What is the Plastic Packaging Tax?

The plastic packaging tax (PPT) will apply to manufacturers, importers and users of plastic packaging and will be administered by HMRC. It will impact a wide range of plastic packaging formats and applies to all polymer types, including bio-based and compostable plastics. Within plastic packaging overall, packaging used for foodservice is a tiny proportion.

The tax, to be charged at a rate of £200 per tonne of packaging, will apply to plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content and to both packaging manufactured in, and imported into, the UK. In respect of foodservice packaging, it will apply to items designed to be used in the supply chain to contain food, including cups, bowls, plates, etc – as these are within the definition of “packaging”. This also applies whether or not the packaging can be reused.

recycled plastic cups and food containers

The tax will not apply to Celebrations rPET recycled plastic food containers and cold drink cups as they are made with up to 80% recycled material

Unanswered questions and confusion about the tax

There is still a lot of confusion about what the tax actually is. A lot of people refer to it as the plastic tax, but it is actually the plastic packaging tax. This is an important distinction in foodservice as a lot of people think it’s going to apply to plastic cutlery – but plastic cutlery is not packaging. So, it won’t apply.

The tax comes into effect on 1st April, but businesses can’t register on the government website until that date. At time of writing, HMRC has issued, and then withdrawn, the requirement to provide information on all sales invoices. Currently, as nothing has been confirmed, business will be very reluctant to implement IT changes, with no clear idea of what the final requirements will be.

This all feels very rushed and ill-conceived and while trade associations such as the Foodservice Packaging Association have worked hard to advise HMRC, seek clarity and help their members prepare, there are still a lot of unanswered questions and quite a lot of confusion. In practical and simple terms, and in respect of the impact on the foodservice industry, we – and other responsible manufacturers and distributors – will need to increase prices to absorb the £200 per tonne applied to any plastic packaging which has less than 30% recycled content, as we would with any other tax.

Celebration have delayed price adjustments

“At Celebration we have been able to import a lot of plastic packaging items ahead of the 1st April deadline” says managing director, Nick Burton. “As I result, I am pleased to say that we will not be adjusting prices, due to the tax, until Friday 1st July. This means that any order received up to and including Thursday 30th June will not be subject to any increase due to the tax.”

A question of certification?

The tax will be payable by businesses which manufacture a finished plastic component or complete the last substantial modification to the plastic packaging here in the UK. But it also applies to plastic packaging imported into the UK, and while some certification programs for plastic postconsumer resin exist, not all suppliers can provide proof of the percentage of recycled content.

If we’re asked to confirm the percentage of recycled content in imported packaging, we have to rely on the manufacturer to prove it, so this is a truly international issue and yet the tax – and the burden of responsibility – is being applied only in the UK.

Another issue facing manufacturers is a shortage of recycled raw materials and the fact that recycled plastic currently costs considerably more than virgin material.

A missed opportunity to promote reusable packaging

In introducing this tax, the government has missed an opportunity to promote the use of reusable plastic products, which make an important contribution to reducing the use of plastic.

The stated aim of the PPT is “to increase the use of recycled plastic in packaging”, but there is a lack of clarity around reusable packaging, as while plastic storage boxes are exempt, the tax still applies to reusable foodservice packaging. One of our restaurant customers is saving many tonnes of plastic a year by using our microwavable reusable portion packaging instead of single-use plastic packaging. But then you have to consider that the tax is applied on a weight basis, and to be serviceable, reusable packaging is generally thicker and heavier.

If a foodservice operator is looking to understand the issues created by the PPT, they need to work with a consultative supplier to ensure that they’re choosing the right packaging – that’s functional, fit for purpose, popular with consumers and above all, sustainable.

New range of reusable containers

by Jenna Murray | Mar 29, 2021 | News, Solutionware

Celebration Packaging has launched a new range of reusable, microwavable,

hinged-lid food containers made from virgin polypropylene.

“With a draft roadmap for coming out of lockdown in place, restaurant and pub owners and operators will be planning for reopening. First for outside spaces only, but later for dine-in, albeit under as-yet-unannounced rules,” says Celebration Packaging Managing Director Nick Burton. “These businesses will be seeking to ensure their kitchens can operate safely and efficiently, maintaining quality while also ensuring speed of service.

Round pp plastic reusable food containers with hinged lid for reheating foods — *Round food containers with hinged lids – available in 200ml (shallow) and 400ml (deep) capacity*

Round pp plastic reusable food containers with hinged lid — *Round food containers with hinged lids – available in 200ml (shallow) and 400ml (deep) capacity*

Meal prep containers for pre-serve portion control

This new foodservice range has been developed in response to customer demand. Before lockdown, some of our major high street foodservice customers were looking to move away from single-use disposable plastic packaging and find reusable solutions. They approached Celebration Packaging to discover what we could offer.

“As problem solvers, trials have now been successfully concluded with two major high street foodservice businesses to develop a reusable, microwavable range which would provide a solution for pre-serve portion control in meal preparation. We are proud to now announce the launch of this new, proven range.”

The new products are made from high-clarity virgin polypropylene (PP) which allows users to easily identify contents, speeding up meal preparation, and avoiding service errors. The packaging is easy to use, as it is delivered nested and stackable, enabling speed of service and features easy opening lid tabs and a hinged lid.

Perfect for portion control, we have so far produced 200ml capacity rectangular containers. Also, round food containers in two sizes: 200ml (shallow); and 400ml (deep). Custom shapes and sizes are available, and the reusable containers can also be embossed with branding or usage instructions for the kitchen staff, subject to tooling charges.

Microwavable, Dish Washer Safe and Reusable

The new range is microwavable and the rectangular range features air vents in the sides and top lid to allow steam to escape when the food is being microwaved. To make the products reusable, or ‘rotable’, they are top rack dishwasher-safe, so can be used time and time again.

Rectangular pp plastic reusable food containers with hinged lid — *Small rectangular meal prep containers with hinged lid – available in 200ml capacity*

rectangular pp plastic reusable food containers with hinged lid for use back of house — *Small rectangular meal prep containers with hinged lid – available in 200ml capacity*

Putting reuse at the front of “reduce; recycle; reuse”

“Over the few past years, the mantra for those paying attention to environmental sustainability has been ‘Reduce; recycle; reuse’, but least attention has usually been paid to the reuse aspect,” says Nick. “This new food-grade PP hinged-lid container range delivers on all three priorities. The containers significantly reduce the amount of plastic used in busy kitchens, can be 100% recycled at the end of its life, and is reusable, or ‘rotable’, as many call it.”

The term ‘rotable’ seems to have originated in the aviation industry and is defined as: ‘an element or component that can be repeatedly restored to a working and serviceable condition’. So, in other words, choosing rotables over disposables, means investing in longevity, with a solution that can be reused over and over again.

Reduce packaging waste in busy kitchens

“Switching to reusables in high-traffic kitchens significantly reduces the amount of plastic being used when replacing single-use packaging,” says Nick. “We calculated that one customer who uses the rectangular product is saving in excess of 33,000 kgs of plastic by switching from single-use containers to the new reusable product. The amount of plastic saved obviously depends on how many times the new reusable product is used before being sent for recycling. But as the range is also manufactured here in the UK, switching to these products substantially reduces an operator’s carbon footprint.”

Further increasing the versatility of the new PP microwavable and reusable range, filled containers can also be placed in a freezer. Trials are recommended, and the range is not suitable for blast freezing. “As problem solvers in foodservice packaging, Celebration has been seeking more sustainable solutions since launching our EnviroWare® range over 13 years ago,” Nick concludes. “We are proud that this latest, proven innovation successfully adds value back-of-house, while also enabling operators to improve their sustainability credentials.”

For assistance with bespoke food packaging solutions contact Celebration Packaging Ltd.

Ripple wrap insulated paper cups and food containers

by Jenna Murray | Feb 10, 2021 | News, Solutionware

As the cold wintery weather continues, hot takeaway foods and drinks are very popular.

Celebrations Ripple Wrap paper cups and food containers are ideal for food businesses offering warming drinks and foods-to-go to their locals. There is a demand from local communities wanting to support their favorite pubs, restaurants, cafes and bakeries through these difficult times. To meet this, there has been a huge influx of businesses offering takeaway treats for customers to enjoy.

The Ripple Wrap range is perfect for food and drink to-go. Its corrugated wrapping not only protects hands from heat, it also helps keep the contents hot for longer.

Please contact our sales team on 01283 538259 / email sales@celebration.co.uk for further information or to request your free set of samples.

Ripple Wrap Food / Soup Containers & Lids

Ripple Wrap Food Containers are available in 8oz, 12oz and 16oz sizes – for small, regular and large portions. The quality, heavyweight paperboard containers have a corrugated outer for heat insulation and a PE lining to prevent leaks.

A white PS lid is available separately and fits all three sizes.

Perfect for serving soup, stew, curry or hot desserts.

Brown 8 oz Ripple Soup Container

Brown 12 oz Ripple Soup Container

Brown 16 oz Ripple Soup Container

White plastic lid to fit 8, 12, 16 oz ripple food containers

White Lid for Soup Container

Ripple Wrap Paper Hot Drink Cups & Lids

Plain Brown Ripple Wrap Cups are available in 4oz espresso, 8oz small, 12oz regular and 16oz large. A plain black version is available in 8oz and 16oz. The quality, heavyweight paperboard cups have a corrugated outer for heat insulation and a PE lining to prevent leaks.

Sip through lids are available for 8oz – 16oz cups and come in two colour options – black or white.