Why ketchup sachets will disappear from German restaurants

Single-use plastic sachets, including ketchup sachets, will disappear from cafes and restaurants in Germany when a new EU law is enforced in 2030.

No more single-use plastic sachets in the EU

Single-use plastic sachets for ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, soya sauce and small, single-use plastic pots used for milk or cream will soon be resigned to the history books, in the EU at least.

From 2030, hospitality services will no longer be permitted to use single-use plastic packages which contain a single portion. The new rules will also apply to salt, pepper and other flavouring sachets, which are often already made from paper.

Businesses will still be able to use single-use plastic packaging for a single portion of food or drink that is intended to be consumed on the go or at home. There will also be some exceptions in place for hospitals and care homes where single-use plastic packaging is necessary for hygiene reasons.

Expect more sauce dispensers and wafer holders

Natalie Brandenburg, leader of the German Packaging Institute e.V., said in an interview with t-online that consumers should expect to see more refillable sauce dispensers at cafes and restaurants. Brandenburg said hospitality businesses may replace plastic single-use sauce containers with small dishes made from glass or wafer.

The new rules are part of the EU’s broader Single-Use Plastic Directive (SUPD), which was drawn up in 2019. Over a longer period, the bloc aims to prevent and reduce the circulation of 10 specific plastic products, including cotton bud sticks, cutlery, plates, straws and stirrers, balloons, cigarette buts, plastic bags, nappies and sanitary products.