The Office for the Internal Market has launched a study into how businesses have responded to the single-use plastic ban across all UK nations.
The Office for the Internal Market (OIM) said it wants to hear from a wide range of stakeholders including SMEs and others in the supply chain about their experience of dealing with changes to regulations affecting single-use plastics.
As part of the study, the OIM said it wants views on how businesses have responded to the changes and how the timing or substance of regulations have impacted “policymaking and innovation” across the UK.
The review builds on the work of the OIM’s latest annual report which found that supermarkets have tended to adopt a “UK-wide” approach when using single-use plastic items like cutlery, plates and bowls.
This means they adapted to the regulatory environment by using items which meet trading rules in all parts of the UK or at least all parts they trade in, rather than using different products in each nation.
The OIM, which is part of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has a role in assisting the four governments across the UK by providing advice and analysis to support the effective operation of the UK internal market.
We’re inviting feedback from interested stakeholders, including businesses that have experience of regulatory changes related to single-use plastics.
OIM Panel Chair, Murdoch MacLennan, commented: “We know that reducing our consumption of single-use plastics – from carrier bags used for the weekly shop to straws in our drinks – is important for the environment.
“We also know that the UK internal market for goods and services is worth £190 billion a year and green issues are a top priority for consumers, so it’s in everyone’s interest to get the full picture on how national restrictions on single-use plastics are working.
“To help us build that picture, we’re inviting feedback from interested stakeholders, including businesses that have experience of regulatory changes related to single-use plastics. This will help us understand how effectively companies of all sizes are able to sell their products and services across the four nations of the UK.”
Since 2011, measures have been brought into force across all parts of the UK to tackle the issue of single-use plastic waste, including plastic bags, cutlery, straws and food and drink containers.
Scotland, England and Wales have implemented bans on certain single-use plastic products while Northern Ireland has a plan for future restrictions.
