Consumers back plastic straw ban in pubs

A survey of 1,700 people in four countries, the US, UK, India and South Africa, conducted through the market research Streetbees app, found that more than nine out of 10 (91%) of people would support a full or partial ban on plastic straws in bars and restaurants to help protect the environment.

In addition, more than four out of five (82%) of those surveyed said that plastic straws were ‘very harmful’ to the environment and just over half (53%) said that plastic waste is the biggest threat to the world’s oceans.

Encouragingly, while in excess of one in 10 (12%) said they ‘never’ use a plastic straw, one in four said they use one at least once a week or more.

Extremely rare​

Oliver May, COO and co-founder of Streetbees, said: “It is extremely rare for people across the world to come down so firmly on one side of an issue. Plastic waste is a hot-button topic that people clearly feel strongly about and want to see action on.”

Earlier this month it was revealed that plastic straws and stirrers could soon be banned in England under Government plan to protect rivers and oceans.

The pub industry has already taken strides to take action on plastic straws. The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) and trade association UKhospitality are to spearhead the pub industry’s efforts to tackle packaging waste at a new event on Thursday, 10 May.

Best practice​

‘Unpack the Future of Hospitality’ will bring together hospitality businesses, suppliers and parliamentarians and other hospitality supporters to educate and share best practice.

Earlier this month Oakman Inns, the 24-strong pub chain, pledged to end consumption on single-use plastics across its sites by Earth Day 2019.  

A raft of pubcos, including Oakman, have already pledged to end the use of plastic straws.