Posted Jan 3, 2023 8:55 am
In Luxembourg: Fast food is trying to do without disposable tableware
LUXEMBOURG – The introduction of reusable tableware, which has been mandatory in restaurants since January 1, is not easy in all fast-food restaurants. On Monday, the measure was still only partially applied in Luxembourg.
The first measures of the package of waste laws passed in the spring have come into force.
The essential
“I didn’t quite understand what we have to do, so today I worked as usual.” At a fast-food restaurant in central Luxembourg, we were told that the implementation of the new Waste Law, which came into effect on 1 us to put it on a plate to lay. It’s hard to see how this limits waste,” we’re told.
“At this point, the only thing changing is that what is consumed on-site has to be in reusable containers. This concerns fast food in particular,” stressed François Koepp, Secretary General of Horesca, who summarizes the new rules on his website. At a neighborhood oriental restaurant, Saiki is moving to offer more sustainable containers. But it also has its price.
The big fast food chains organize themselves. At a burger joint on Place d’Armes, a sign on the counter warns that “plastic lids and straws will no longer be issued for take-out orders.” Returnable glasses, already being tested in some of the group’s restaurants, will arrive in the coming weeks. You also need a dishwasher. But in the meantime we’re running out of last stock. In a further chain, the carton disappears and the transition to rigid and reusable containers takes place.
The essential
“If it can limit our environmental impact, that’s pretty good”
But others are already worried about when, at the beginning of 2025, reusable packaging for take-away meals will also become mandatory. “Who pays ten euros more for a reusable pizza box? How will our passing tourists do?” asked a manager. Others mention the extra work this creates for the ministry.
When on the customer side it was sometimes necessary to show dexterity with several cups without lids on the trays, we said we were ready for a change. “It’s pretty good for the ecology, but there will also be downsides. And when the future cups are consigned, they should not be forgotten, ”confided Alexandre and Laura. “It’s better if there’s less plastic. I will not stop eating fast food because of this. In the end, that doesn’t change anything,” Nicolas insisted.
“If it can limit our environmental impact, that’s pretty good. It’s not much, but it’s still a little. And if that allows us to move forward for a better life for ourselves and our children, I don’t mind,” adds Maxime. But while the Ecobox has been fairly well received in Luxembourg, many restaurateurs point out that beyond the initiatives, customers will hold the cards to limit waste in the hospitality industry. “We had set up a bag system with a deposit. But it’s very rare that they come back,” said one pro.
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