UK Single-Use Plastics Ban: What Is Banned, and Which Bagasse Items Replace It?
England has banned single-use plastic plates, bowls, trays and cutlery and foamed polystyrene food containers and cups since 1 October 2023; bowls and trays used as packaging are exempt. Scotland (since 1 June 2022) and Wales (since 30 October 2023) ban plastic plates, cutlery and foamed polystyrene containers and cups, but not bowls or trays. In all three, plastic includes plastic linings and compostable plastics, while natural polymers that have not been chemically modified are excluded, so moulded bagasse with no plastic lining or coating falls outside the definition.
Single-use plastic bans in England, Scotland and Wales
Supply in the course of a business. England since 1 October 2023, Scotland since 1 June 2022, Wales since 30 October 2023. Checked against the legislation and government guidance on 30 October 2026.
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| Item | England | Scotland | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plates, including paper plates with a plastic lining or coating | Banned | Banned | Banned |
| Bowls | Banned, unless the bowl is packaging | Not restricted | Not restricted |
| Trays | Banned, unless the tray is packaging | Not restricted | Not restricted |
| Food containers of expanded or foamed polystyrene | Banned | Banned | Banned |
| Cups of expanded or foamed polystyrene | Banned | Banned | Banned |
| Cutlery | Banned | Banned | Banned |
England's bowl and tray ban applies to supply to end users and exempts packaging: GOV.UK's examples include a takeaway plate filled at the counter, a salad bowl filled in store and a tray used to deliver food. Straws, stirrers, cotton buds and balloon sticks are also restricted but are left out here. Northern Ireland follows the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive; see the FAQ.
Moulded fibre is outside the definition; a plastic lining is not
The England Regulations define plastic as a polymer material that can be a main structural component of a product, "with the exception of natural polymers that have not been chemically modified". Scotland and Wales use the same exclusion. Bagasse is the fibre left after sugarcane is crushed; moulded into bowls and trays it is a natural polymer that has not been chemically modified.
What brings a fibre item back into scope is plastic added to it. All three nations count items that are partly plastic, including a plastic lining, coating or laminate, and all three include biodegradable and compostable plastics such as PLA.
| Moulded bagasse, no lining or coating | Not plastic |
|---|---|
| Bagasse or paper with a PE or PLA film | Plastic (lined) |
| PLA and other compostable plastics | Plastic |
| Expanded polystyrene (foam) | Banned for food containers and cups |
The Welsh statutory guidance lists bagasse among the alternative materials for banned items.
Banned item → bagasse replacement
Jirun makes moulded bagasse bowls, trays and boxes from 75% sugarcane bagasse and 25% bamboo pulp. Sizes and cartons for every model are on the product pages.
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| Banned or restricted item | Bagasse replacement | Example models |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic or foam bowls | Bowls: 25 moulded bagasse bowls, 260–1,250 ml · all bowls | JR-B20 1,000 ml Bagasse Bowl · 210 × 210 × 60 mmJR-B21 750 ml Hexagonal Bagasse Bowl · 200 × 200 × 50 mmJR-B23 1,000 ml Hexagonal Bagasse Bowl · 230 × 230 × 50 mm |
| Plastic meal trays and plates for set meals | Compartment trays: a main dish and sides in one moulded piece. Jirun does not make flat plates. · all food containers | JR-F22 1,400 ml 5-Compartment Bagasse Container with Bowl · 280 × 210 × 40 mmJR-F23 1,400 ml 6-Compartment Bagasse Container · 280 × 210 × 40 mm |
| Foam (EPS) clamshells and takeaway boxes | Takeaway Boxes with hinged lids, and food containers with a fibre or PET lid · all takeaway boxes | JR-T04 6 Inch Burger Box · 310 × 150 × 42 mmJR-F11 850 ml 2-Compartment Bagasse Container · 235 × 132 × 50 mm |
| Plastic or foam sushi trays | Sushi Trays: 7 sizes · all sushi trays | JR-S01 No.3 Bagasse Sushi Tray · 165 × 115 × 25 mmJR-S02 No.5 Bagasse Sushi Tray · 185 × 129 × 23.6 mmJR-S03 No.7 Bagasse Sushi Tray · 222 × 139 × 23.6 mm |
Jirun does not make cups or cutlery.
Four things to confirm with a bagasse supplier
1. No plastic layer. Ask whether the item has a film, lamination or spray coating. A lined item counts as plastic under all three nations' rules.
2. The grease barrier. Ask for a written statement of how grease resistance is achieved and whether fluorochemicals are added. Seegrease barrier options.
3. Food-contact compliance. The plastics bans do not replace food-contact rules; ask for test reports on the item you are buying. Seecompliance and test reports.
4. Claims on your pack. "Not plastic under the ban" is not the same as "compostable". A compostability claim needs certification to a standard such as EN 13432 for the exact item.
Questions buyers ask
Are bagasse bowls and containers banned in England?
No. The England Regulations define plastic as a polymer material "with the exception of natural polymers that have not been chemically modified", and bagasse is moulded plant fibre. A bagasse bowl becomes a plastic item if it has a plastic lining, coating or laminated film. Bowls and trays that are packaging, for example filled at the counter for a takeaway, are exempt from the bowl and tray ban in any case.
Are plastic-lined paper plates banned in the UK?
Yes, in England, Scotland and Wales. All three treat an item partly made of plastic, including a plastic lining or coating, as a plastic item, so a paper or fibre plate with a plastic layer is covered by the plate ban.
Is compostable or plant-based plastic exempt from the UK bans?
No. GOV.UK guidance for England and the Welsh statutory guidance both state that biodegradable and compostable plastics are included. PLA, a plant-based plastic, is therefore treated as plastic; moulded fibre without a plastic layer is not.
Are clear plastic lids on takeaway containers banned in the UK?
Not under these bans. The England, Scotland and Wales lists cover plates, cutlery, foamed polystyrene containers and cups (with their foam lids) and, in England, bowls and trays; a PET lid on a fibre container is not on the lists. Jirun's clear lids are PET, a plastic, and are labelled as such; its fibre lids are moulded pulp.
Do the bans apply in Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland has its own position: under the Windsor Framework it must apply Article 5 of the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive, which restricts plastic plates, cutlery and expanded polystyrene food containers and cups. When we checked on 30 October 2026, DAERA's page did not give an in-force date, so check DAERA before supplying.
Which grease barrier does Jirun supply to the UK?
Only the fluorine-free grade: a wax-emulsion grease barrier, no fluorochemicals added. Jirun makes no laminated or spray-coated grade, so its bagasse items have no plastic film. Ask for a written statement of the barrier chemistry with your quotation.
Sources
- The Environmental Protection (Plastic Plates etc. and Polystyrene Containers etc.) (England) Regulations 2023 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Single-use plastics bans and restrictions, guidance for England (GOV.UK)
- The Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Single-use plastics: statutory guidance for organisations, Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Act 2023 (GOV.WALES)
- Single-use plastics, Northern Ireland (DAERA)
Related guides
- Fluorine-free, Fluorinated or Laminated Bagasse: Which Grease Barrier Should You Choose?
- How Many Bagasse Containers Fit in a 20GP or 40HQ Container?
- Bagasse vs PLA vs PP vs Paperboard Food Containers: How Do They Compare?
- PPWR and PFAS: What Should EU Buyers Ask a Bagasse Supplier?
- How Do You Read a Bagasse Tableware Spec Sheet?
- Bagasse Sushi Tray Sizes Explained: No.3 to No.9 and ST-3G to ST-5G
- 5- and 6-Compartment Bagasse Trays for School Meals: Which One to Buy?
- Bagasse Tableware MOQ, Lead Time and Mixed Containers: What Are the Terms?
- How Do You Choose a Bagasse Tableware Manufacturer in China?
- Australia's Plastic Bans by State: Which Takeaway Packaging Is Still Allowed?
- Takeaway Container Sizes: How Big Is a 500, 750 or 1,000 ml Container?
Models referred to in this guide
1,000 ml Bagasse Bowl
210 × 210 × 60 mm · 20 g
40HQ approx. 609,000
850 ml 2-Compartment Bagasse Container
235 × 132 × 50 mm · 18 g
40HQ approx. 618,000
1,400 ml 5-Compartment Bagasse Container with Bowl
280 × 210 × 40 mm · 37 g
40HQ approx. 292,600