Brits enjoying fish and chips down by the beach may have to take a bottle of ketchup with them in the future, amid talks of banning single use sauce sachets.
The Government wants to ban the little plastic packets including the nation’s favourite condiments.
As a result takeaways will have to find an ex-friendly alternative or people will be forced to have chips without a dollop of red sauce.
According to The Sun, the list of items could also extend to mini milk containers and throwaway cutlery.
Environment Secretary George Eustace said last year evidence found the single-use packets ‘can cause considerable harm to the marine and terrestrial environment when disposed of incorrectly’.
A source said: “They’re an obvious contender for a ban. There’s no reason most restaurants can’t use big bottles instead of sachets.”
The move was met with a mixed reaction online.
One person tweeted: “So they are going to ban condiment sachets and looking to ban all single use plastic cutlery, plates etc.
“NO!! Sorry but this is just ridiculous. Just stop right now. The government does not get to just ban stuff all the time.
“The implications of this are far reaching, restaurants will have to discard more stuff and artist materials etc are also disposable too.”
More than 855 billion plastic sachets are said to be used around the world each year. It is believed they would take around 500 years to decompose.
Andrew Crook, Deputy Chair of the British Takeaway Campaign warned the move could have an impact on smaller restaurants, which should be given time to find another solution.
He added: "It’s right that the nation reduces its plastic consumption, but we’ve got to do so without adding another costly burden on the smallest restaurants, many of which are struggling to keep their doors open.
"Our favourite takeaways wouldn’t be the same without the sauces on the side, so the Government should give small restaurants time to find affordable, non-plastic alternatives, and not lumber them with other changes too soon either, like the proposed cutlery and polystyrene cup ban."
