The ban on plastic carrier bags means that as of January 1, 2016, plastic and bioplastic carrier bags will no longer be free may be included.
Reimbursement for plastic bag
Customers will no longer receive a free plastic bag in the store, unless they fall under the exception. Would you still like a plastic bag to transport products? Then you pay a small amount for this. Retailers can determine the price themselves. The target price for a plastic bag is €0.25. The price of the carrying bag includes VAT. VAT must be paid on the bag sold.
When is a free plastic bag?
There are some situations (exceptions to the ban) in which consumers may receive a very thin plastic bag (less than 0.015 millimeters wall thickness) for free. This concerns the following situations:
- Carrier bags provided for handing out brochure material;
- Protecting food (hygiene);
Very thin free plastic bags are permitted as the only packaging if they protect food against contamination or contamination with pathogens. For example, unpacked summer fruit, such as strawberries, or unpacked vegetables, such as green beans.
Very thin plastic bags are also permitted in situations where food may become unsuitable for consumption due to leakage of raw fish, raw meat or raw poultry from unclosed packaging. Examples of this are fresh fish wrapped in paper, raw meat or raw meat products wrapped in loose foil sheets.
- Combating food waste;
Thin, free plastic bags are also permitted as the only packaging to prevent food waste of loose food. For example, loose apples or loose carrots and other loose vegetables and fruit. Or loose sandwiches.
- Sealed plastic bag at duty-free shop;
Liquids, aerosols and gels purchased in tax-free shops at airports or on airplanes are sealed in a (transparent) plastic bag. Examples are drinks, deodorant and hair gel. In that case the plastic bag is free. You simply have to pay for the other See Buy Fly bags.
ILT supervises
The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate monitors compliance with the ban on free plastic bags. It may therefore carry out checks at points of sale and administrative research. Retailers must be able to demonstrate that they do not provide plastic carrier bags for free, but charge consumers for them.
Natural Bag supports the government in its intention to ban carrier bags made from fossil plastic as much as possible. Unfortunately, bags made from bioplastics – which contain 0% plastic – also fall under the ban on free distribution of plastic carrier bags. Missed opportunity. There are suitable alternatives to a fossil plastic carrier bag. One of the most environmentally friendly solutions is the Natural Bag made from bioplastic:
- NOT plastic
- Bioplastics 100% compostable; EN13432 Certified
- High-quality printing
- sharp prices
- Bioplastic bags with your own printing from 5,000 pieces
- Treefree paper bags with your own printing from 1,000 pieces
