France bans throwaway fast food boxes, cups and packaging for restaurants

The New Year has brought with it new rules for fast food restaurants in France.

Fast-food chains like McDonald's and Burger King will no longer be able to give customers food in throwaway boxes or single-use knives and forks to eat with.

Under the new law, restaurants that can seat 20 people or more will have to provide reusable plates, cups, and cutlery, to customers instead.

The new system has come into force from 1 January 2023, with the aim to try and reduce plastic and other types of waste in the country.

This isn't the first time France has done something like this. On January 1 2022, a ban on single-use plastic packaging for more than 30 types of fruits and vegetables came into effect.

How big a impact will the new law have?

It's reported that every year around six billion meals are served in around 30,000 fast food restaurants in France, which generates two million tonnes of waste.

Alice Elfassi from Zero Waste France said she is "extremely happy" about the law change, as a move away from plastics used in fast food restaurants had simply seen them replaced "by large amounts of throwaway products like cardboard, wood, bamboo, which we consider an unacceptable waste of resources."

Under the new anti-waste law, restaurants and cafes will have to serve eat-in burgers and sandwiches wrapped in paper instead of boxes.

Every other food item, like nuggets, pizzas, cakes, or ice creams will have to be handed over on plates or inside re-usable containers, which will later be washed and used again.

French Burger Kings have been trialling reusable cups and bowls with their logo as they've been preparing for the change.

McDonald's has opted for reusable plastic containers, for their French fries.

The new anti-waste law will see restaurants provide reusable containers for food items such as French fries

The law was first published in 2020, giving restaurants nearly three years to prepare - but critics say it will put pressure on food business that still don't have the cleaning or storage facilities for reusable plates and containers.

There are also environmental concerns that restaurants will move to hard plastics to contain food - which isn't strong enough for several washes over time.

"Most fast-food restaurants won't switch to classic, long-wearing glass or china that lasts years, they will opt for hard plastic and we have concerns about its durability - will it withstand hundreds of washes or will it be thrown out after only a few? We'll be vigilant on that," said Alice Elfassi.

An employee serves French fries in a reusable container at a McDonald's restaurant in Levallois-Perret, near Paris

Zero Waste France and other environmental groups are now calling on the French government to carry out proper checks on whether fast food restaurants are actually planning to follow the law, and asking them to hand out fines if necessary.

Groups have also asked customers to lookout for restaurants not respecting the ban and not eat in places where the new law is not being followed.

But as the ban only applies to people dining-in, takeaway customers in France will continue to receive their food in single-use takeaway boxes as usual.