EU plans to ban single-use ketchup sachets by 2030

EU plans to ban single-use ketchup sachets by 2030

The European Union intends for single-use sachets of ketchup, mayonnaise, and sugar to vanish from restaurants and supermarkets by 2030. This measure is part of a broader package that also affects packaging for fresh fruits and vegetables, small plastic bags, and hotel gel and shampoo bottles. The goal is to reduce the consumption of disposable packaging, which Eurostat reports grew by nearly 20% between 2009 and 2020. New rules will also require takeout establishments to accept customers' own reusable containers.

Which products will disappear and when

The European regulation sets a calendar with specific milestones: a 5% reduction in the consumption of these packages by 2030, 10% by 2035, and 15% by 2040. Targeted products include trays for tomatoes or carrots, ready meals sold in their own packaging, and sugar cubes. Final negotiations between member states and other international actors will take place in South Korea between November 25 and December 2.

The proposal has peine a debate that seemed settled: that of reusable packaging. Years ago, many establishments removed ketchup and mayonnaise dispensers from tables for alleged hygiene reasons. Now Brussels wants them back, but with customers serving themselves. A square circle.

The health argument turned on its head

The contradiction is the aspect that has attracted the most attention. First, refillable containers were eliminated to prevent contagion; then individual sachets were imposed, generating waste; and now sachets are being banned to return to communal dispensers. Some argue that a one-liter dispenser bottle is more eco-friendly and cheaper than hundreds of sachets, while others recall that an ultra-lightweight sachet weighs only a few grams and its impact per unit is minimal.

The full calculation, broken down item by item, reveals a surprising difference: a kilo of polyethylene costs €1.20 and one of PET, €1. A sachet is so light that the material cost is almost insignificant. The real cost lies in manufacturing, ink, and transport. The discussion on whether savings justify the change remains open.

The real cost of returning to traditional dispensers

Proponents of the measure argue that reusable packaging reduces waste and saves raw materials. Critics respond that cleaning a dispenser consumes water, energy, and detergent, which translates into more work and higher costs for a restaurant. The question no one fully answers is who pays the difference: the customer, the establishment, or the taxpayer.

Some point out that the true solution is not banning sachets, but manufacturing realistic-sized single-dose portions. Current sachets are so small that often two or three are needed for a normal portion, multiplying waste. If they were larger, tons of wrapping would be saved.

The business of prohibition

Every regulatory change opens a business opportunity. Manufacturers of dispensers, suppliers of reusable packaging, and industrial cleaning companies are already making moves. It is not the first time: automatic doors, selective collection systems, and charging stations have generated entire markets driven by directives.

The measure also has a geopolitical component. The rivers discharging most plastic into the sea are in Asia, not Europe. Banning ketchup sachets in a Madrid bar will not change that reality, but it allows displaying environmental commitment without immediate political cost.

What is not discussed: the timeline

The text still needs to pass through final negotiations in South Korea. The deadlines are ambitious and affect thousands of small businesses. If met, asking for a ketchup sachet at a burger joint in 2030 will be as rare as asking for an ashtray today. The date is set. The how, is not.