Eco levy introduced for plastic cups, containers
Plastic cups and other disposable drink or food containers are now being charged a fee of 0.05 euros as part of a crackdown on their reckless use.
The levy is calculated per piece of plastic, which means that the lid of a coffee cup or food container is charged separately. It specifically concerns cups, containers or boxes with takeaway products, such as coffee or food, made of plastic or laminated paper.
The new measure comes after a levy was introduced in 2018 for plastic shopping bags, which led to a sharp decline in their use in supermarkets.
According to data from the Consumer Research Institute (IELKA), plastic bag use in supermarkets plummeted by 99% in 2020, compared to 2017. However, this reduction was not followed by the rest of the retail trade (supermarkets account for about 50-55%), as many neighborhood stores and kiosks still provide plastic bags, in violation of the law.
