“Something will also change for consumers. In addition to paying for the food and drinks, you will also pay for the packaging,” says Van Rootselaar. “Still, you don’t have to pay if you don’t want to.” According to Van Rootselaar, consumers can also contact entrepreneurs with their own packaging. Employers may also offer reusable containers that must then be returned.

Problem

Many companies are already testing new options. For example, guests at McDonalds can choose what is called a deposit cup. An additional 1 euro must be paid for this. There are still many questions, will the cup actually be returned? “What we see in Germany is that 70% of cups are not returned,” a McDonalds spokesperson said. Bringing your own container is not an option for McDonalds due to food safety.

Snack bars are also having problems. For example, milkshake machines are automatic so they stop at the right time. If you bring your own cup, you still have to pour the drink. Storage cups are not an option for all snack bars for storage space reasons.

Become addicted

“What we see with deposit systems is that the return percentage is quite low in the initial period. “Until people realize that there are real savings and this number will continue to increase,” said Van Rootselaar. He also understands entrepreneurs’ concerns regarding costs. However, plastic is already expensive, he said. “This doesn’t cause much harm to entrepreneurs, but plastic costs society a lot of money with the large amount of waste that is present. We have become addicted to plastic and no longer know how we can live without it.”

“It’s definitely going to be a challenge, but it’s great for entrepreneurs to know what’s changing and work to address it,” Van Rootselaar said. “We’re giving employers time to adapt to the law. You just have to do your best.”