The government's decision to postpone the ban on single-use plastic food containers and cups gives businesses more time to prepare, but it is only a temporary solution, according to Sandro Norakidze, director of Degusto.
Speaking to BMG, Norakidze said he hopes the government will reconsider the regulation before it takes effect and extend the deadline once again. He argued that replacing plastic containers with paper-based alternatives would significantly increase operating costs and ultimately raise food prices for consumers.
"If a 500-gram plastic container costs 15 tetri, a paper container of the same size costs around 70 tetri. Businesses will have no choice but to reflect that additional cost in the price of their products. We have no intention of making a profit on packaging, but we also cannot absorb the extra expense ourselves," he said.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture announced on July 6 that the ban on single-use plastic food containers will now take effect on January 1, 2027, while the ban on disposable plastic cups has been postponed until July 1, 2027.
