Since the start of the new year, consumers in Poland have been required to pay more for take-away food and drinks sold in single-use plastic containers. Under legislation adopted by the Polish government last year, a product fee of PLN0.20 (slightly less than €0.05) is now applied to disposable cups, including those from vending machines, and a fee of PLN0.25 to other packaging such as boxes for food intended for direct consumption (on-site or takeaway). The new consumer charges, collected by retailers and food service operators, are intended to steer the public away from single-use packaging and encourage the use of refillable containers.
The new charges were one of a series of amendments the Polish government made to its packaging and waste laws in 2023 in connection with the transposition of the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD).
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