A pastry chef prepares a flan at the 27th Paris Chocolate Fair at the Versailles Expo in Paris, France, Oct. 31, 2022. The 27th Salon du Chocolat (chocolate fair) was held from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1.(Photo: Xinhua)

Fast-food eateries in France will soon no longer be able to use disposable containers, plates, cups and tableware for clients eating in, the latest measure from a 2020 law to combat waste and encourage recycling.

Restaurants have been preparing for months to implement a rule that comes into force on January 1, 2023 which, for many, has upended business models based on single-use packaging and utensils, both for eating in and for takeout.

The roughly 30,000 fast-food outlets in France serve 6 billion meals a year, generating around 180,000 tons of waste. "It's an emblematic measure that if properly implemented will make a very concrete difference for people, it definitely goes in the right direction," said Moira Tourneur of nonprofit Zero Waste France.

But the law has drawn criticism from the European Paper Packaging Alliance (EPPA), which argues that most single-use containers are made of renewable resources and have a recycling rate of 82 percent across the European Union.

Restaurants have noted as well that clients often take reusable cups with them after a meal or end up throwing plates and cutlery in the trash instead of returning them.

"I didn't know about this but it's good that it's mandatory," said Tom Fresneau, 16, who was eating a burger with a friend at the McDonald's outside the French capital.

"But it does cost more than paper and cardboard, so I understand if it's problematic for the smaller fast-food restaurants that might have to raise their prices," he said.

AFP