Has the plastic ban affected your choices?

[TheBeesKnee]

As I sit here wrestling with a roll of wrapping paper where the stickers have destroyed about 10cm of it, I've sworn to myself that next time I will simply buy sheets of wrapping paper, even though they cost more - or a gift bag!! - instead of putting myself through this.

It's got me thinking about how useful the plastic wrap was, and what else I've changed in response to plastic bans.

I'm more likely to order a drink that doesn't need a straw.

I don't buy fresh broccoli because it always seems limp and wilted, I have a bag in the freezer now. It's not as nice but it's fine.

Minor things really but I didn't really notice until now.

Anyone else?

I hate paper straws .. I don’t see how reusable straws can be cleaned so I buy biodegradable now ..

What plastic ban?

I hate the straw issue, especially on kids drinks. I end having to puncture a capri sun with a fork because the rubbish straw won’t go through it anymore. Same with kids drinks cartons.
Most of the time it means I’ll just bring a water bottle for them rather than buying the drinks I used to purchase when we were out at cafes etc.

M&S wrapping paper stickers work a treat. Sainsbury’s / Habitat are incredibly shit.

You're supposed to cut the tape not peel it. It actually comes with instructions to tell you and extra length on the paper to account for the tape sticky.

Sorry it was a shorthand way to reference the fact that many items that used to be made from or wrapped up in plastic now have alternative solutions. Such as paper straws in place of plastic straws.

Not this one.

I have retrieved the instructions from the crumpled ball of rage.

There's still acres of plastic crap round my way. You can definitely have broccoli wrapped in plastic if you want it. Plastic straws are the only thing that's been banned. Quite pointlessly I think.

Stupid rice still comes in plastic and a load of other dry things that could easily be stored in paper. More bloody plastic bottles than ever before. Plastic ban... my arse

World's population increases by 200,000+ every single day.

I'm not sure paper straws are the answer to saving the planet lol.

I imagine weevils and other pests could easily munch through a paper bag to infest huge batches of rice.

There's still absolute masses of excessive plastic packaging. There's no general ban. I wish there were more restrictions, to limit the use. Lots of things could be stored in cardboard packaging for recycling - if lasagne sheets can be stored in cardboard, why not other types of pasta? if couscous can, why not rice?

More things could be delivered in much bigger containers to the shops and then you'd buy a certain quantity as you choose.

The straws have made no difference to me, as I don't drink cocktails or fizzy drinks where they tend to arise.

If anything, I still see a lot of pre-packaged vegetables, but I've always avoided them, because the packages are too big for me and I want to avoid food waste. So I buy anyway a smaller number of items by weight. In the supermarkets, you're still meant to pack these up in non-recyclable bags to put the weight sticker on. I've tried reusing the bags for more than one type of item, since they easily go in, but what happens then is that they scan the same one twice at the till and you need to get it straightened out. The Waitrose ones say they're compostable, but there's nothing I can do with that.

I once bought a duvet set on-line from a high street store, it was to be sold 'plastic free' except it was still in the plastic bag that said "Remove before putting on shop floor"

agree on paper straws, we only ever use them on the kids smoothies but they just create a mess and absolutely hopeless.

For me it’s happy meal toys, I hate the crappy cardboard ones. I don’t see them as single use, we have toys that have been played with by all 3 of my children and my nieces have some amazing collectible one I got them when I worked at McDonald’s in the 90s

id happily live with out food wrapped in clingfilm or plastic. I’ve long thought going back to the old deli counters to get cold meats is the way, same with a lot of other foods, dried fruit, grains, salads (potato, rice etc..) I also think they should bring back butchers counters and use old waxed paper and paper wrapping.

That's what I was thinking too....😂

I’ve had weevils in bags of flour but never once thought it should come in plastic bags

Now that I think about it I wonder why nuts and dried fruit doesn’t come in cardboard when I was eating raisins out of tiny cardboard boxes in the 90s

The irony is that, coffee shops for example will give you an iced coffee, with a “save the planet” paper straw… all served in a plastic cup. Meaning the coffee situation is still 90% plastic… I’d rather have my coffee in a paper cup and have a plastic straw that actually works and doesn’t go soggy. Less plastic and id be less fucking miserable as I could drink my coffee happily. 😂

or have those coffee style sippy cups that Starbucks have for cold coffee. Paper ones of those would be fine but paper straws are the absolute bane of my life.

on a serious note - no it hasn’t made me any more conscious of my plastic use/consumption

I don’t buy takeaway salad (ironically in a plastic tub) from the supermarket for lunch, or takeaway food from the office canteen unless I’ve got metal cutlery with me because eating with wooden cutlery gives me the boak 🤢
(and yes, I know I could take a packed lunch, which I do when I’m at home, but I often work away during the week and don’t have that option)

Not any more - as of last week (from memory) single use cups can no longer be plastic.

I cant eat with wooden cutlery at all. The idea of it in my mouth 🤢 so i dont buy much takeaway food while.out. also gutted to not be able to get ice cream at theatre recently.

Those sticky tabs on Christmas paper sent me crazy last year.