Things will be very different in many chip shops from Saturday, because there is a ban on free disposable plastic throughout the Netherlands. Switch to other material, bring your own container or pass it on to the customer? That’s the big question. Antoine van Beijnen is switching over to sugar cane trays with his chip shop R2B in Oosterhout. Elsewhere they charge a dime extra. “People haven’t figured it out yet.”
Antoine has displayed various cardboard and paper containers on his counter. With each package he gives reasons why it will not become the new alternative.
“This is the cone we use at events, but it’s not useful in a cafeteria or with deliveries. This large cardboard container is not useful for small orders,” he explains. Behind him, above the steaming frying fat, are the familiar black trays. “We still have a small supply.”
Due to the national ban, everyone should actually have to pay for disposable plastic since Saturday. “But we’re not going to do that,” says Antoine. “If we have to calculate everything, it will no longer be fun to get fries.”
“People have not yet realized that they have to pay extra.”
An extra ten euro cents is added later in Rosmalen, in a gas station where Angelique is behind the cash register. With wrapped sandwiches, but also for a can of Pringles with a plastic cap. “We have not yet had any comments on it. People have not yet realized that they have to pay extra.”
And those bags of candy? Angelique scans the bag at the checkout. “No, not with this one. It’s all in the cash register, so we don’t have to add it ourselves.”
The new law encourages people to bring their own, reusable packaging. Antoine just disagrees. “On TV people are having fun with trays and bags. I’ve already seen everything. Hygiene is very important. We are not going to give it in a pan or bucket. We have excellent paper bags for family orders.”
“It’s really easy if someone brings their own cup.”
Angelique is different in the gas station. “It’s really easy if someone brings their own cup. We take it and put coffee in it. We already had customers who brought their own cup anyway. I expect that there will be more now.”
For the time being, Antoine’s chip shop is still ‘living’ with disposable plastic. “We will use up what we have left. Throwing it away is a shame. In a week and a half we will switch all at once. Unfortunately, not all sugar cane containers have arrived from the supplier yet.”
So for now it’s just waiting for the sugar cane trays to come in. Antoine: “It’s better than cardboard, which also has a plastic layer in it. We think this is a great alternative.”
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