If you own a food business then you’ll know that choosing the right packaging is crucial. After all, the cups, plates and cutlery you provide can have an impact on your profit margins, environmental impact and customer enjoyment.
New regulations put in place by the government also mean you need the right packaging to adhere to the law, and those found flouting the new rules could face severe penalties.
For those offering drinks, paper cups are the ideal vessels for serving your tasty beverages. In this blog post, we’ll explain why, covering the benefits of paper cups and touching on the new rules that have banned plastic packaging for food and drinks.
Environmentally Friendly
Let’s start with the ecological benefits. These days, plastic is literally everywhere. Due to our overreliance on plastic over the last few decades, microplastics and nanoplastics, which are small and microscopic pieces of material that have broken down from consumer products and industrial waste, are now everywhere.
It’s in the food we eat, the water we drink and even the air we breath, so the situation is becoming critical.
Single-use plastic items like cups, straws and cutlery are some of the biggest contributors to plastic pollution, and as well as putting human health at risk, they also harm aquatic life that mistakes these items for food, which can be catastrophic.
By ditching plastic and using paper cups, you can be sure your business isn’t contributing to this problem. In fact, you’ll be part of the growing movement to combat the issue, and with more businesses eschewing this destructive material in favour of biodegradable alternatives, hopefully, mankind can start to pull itself out of the plastic mess it’s found itself in!
Recyclable
Another reason paper cups are better for the planet is they’re easily recyclable due to their primary material composition of paperboard or cardboard. These materials are inherently recyclable substances as they have a straightforward breakdown process.
It was previously believed that coffee cups cannot be recycled due to their polyethylene lining. However, advancements in recycling technologies and infrastructure have resulted in new separation methods, enabling the efficient extraction of the paper.
Cost-Effective
As a business owner, one of your primary concerns is cutting costs and boosting your profits. In that case, you’ll be glad to know that as well as being kinder to the environment, paper cups are also cheaper!
We sell paper cups in batches of 500 and they work out at around 14p each. Compare this to some plastic cups which can cost significantly more, and you’ll see it’s not just the environment you’ll be saving by choosing paper, but your finances too!
One of the main reasons paper cups are cheaper than plastic is they’re often not as durable. However, if you’re serving beverages to your customers then chances are they’ll only be using the cup once anyway! So with this in mind, durability isn’t much of a concern, which is why the cost-effective nature of paper cups makes sense.
Good Insulator
Are you serving hot drinks? Then paper cups make great insulators to keep the liquid warm.
There’s nothing worse than going to take a sip of your coffee or hot chocolate – only to find it’s gone cold. This is sure to leave your customers disappointed and it’s unlikely they’ll be back in a hurry!
Thankfully, kraft paper is great at retaining heat, so recyclable paper cups for hot drinks ensure your beverages stay warmer for longer.
Plastic, on the other hand, would make for a terrible insulator and hot liquid could even melt the cups and spoil the drink. This probably explains why you never see warm drinks served in plastic cups!
Customisable
Looking for ways to flex your branding or spread the message about your promotions? Then customisable cups could help you achieve your goals.
Branded cups are highly customisable. When it comes to designing your cups, you can choose different sizes, colours and designs that align with your brand’s aesthetic, allowing you to create a unique and memorable look.
Likewise, if there are any promotional or seasonal campaigns, special edition cups can create excitement, set your brand apart and potentially boost sales.
Abide By Law
The last reason you need to avoid plastic cups if you own a business that operates in the food and beverage industry is it’s now a legal requirement.
Since October 1st, the use of single-use plastic items for food and beverages by takeaways and food outlets has been banned. The list of items the government has banned includes single-use plastic cutlery, plastic packaging, polystyrene containers and, most importantly, cups.
The ban covers all online and over-the-counter sales and it includes items from both new and existing stock. So if you’ve got any stock lying around, sadly you’ll be unable to use it or you’ll be breaking these new laws.
Failure to abide by these new rules could land you in some serious trouble with local authorities. Anyone found still using single-use plastic by local authorities or Trading Standards departments will face fines and prosecution.
So assuming you’d rather avoid hefty fines and protect your business’ reputation, it’s probably best to stick to the rules and opt for sustainable, biodegradable cups.
So that pretty much covers the benefits of paper cups. Hopefully, you’re now sold on the idea of purchasing paper over plastic! As well as being kinder to the planet, paper cups are also cheaper, good at insulating heat and they’re great for showing off your branding. Oh, and perhaps most importantly, they’ll also ensure you abide by the law!
