The government of England has announced that a ban on some single-use plastics will go into effect in October.
Takeaways, restaurants, and cafes must stop using single-use plastic cutlery, plates, and bowls in order to address the growing plastic problem.
Green organisations praised the decision but suggested it might be taken further to reduce the amount of packaging dumped in landfills.
According to the British Takeaway Campaign, businesses need more help to implement it.
Fish and chip shops and other takeaways will become more expensive as small businesses are obliged to pass on greater packaging costs to customers, according to Andrew Crook, owner of a Lancashire fish and chip shop and deputy head of the British Takeaway Campaign.
According to estimates from the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs, England uses 721 million single-use plates per year and roughly 2.7 billion single-use cutlery items, most of which are made of plastic.
“We believe in doing our bit for the environment but many small businesses are only just hanging on,” Mr Crook said.
Plastic-free packaging is becoming more frequent in takeout, he says, but it can cost an extra 12p per item.