BURNHAM CONSIDERS SACHET BAN TO ALIGN UK WITH EU RULES

Andy Burnham is considering banning single-use condiment sachets from cafés and restaurants to align the UK with European Union rules. The EU already bans single-use plastic sachets of ketchup, mayonnaise and vinegar in the catering sector on environmental grounds. Responding to a question from Conservative frontbencher Mike Wood, Defra minister Emma Hardy said the ban "will apply in Northern Ireland under the Windsor framework but will not apply in the rest of the UK under EU-reset." She added that "a consultation regarding UK alignment is being planned."

Campaigners calling for a UK-wide ban say 855 billion condiment sachets are used worldwide every year, many discarded unopened. Estimates from 2020 suggested more than 150 million tonnes of plastic waste were polluting the world's oceans, killing large numbers of seabirds and marine mammals annually. The consultation was announced as Burnham agreed to align UK food and drink standards with the EU to end post-Brexit border checks. That agreement would let fresh sausages, burgers, shellfish and seed potatoes be exported to the EU again, and would restore pet passports for UK pets travelling into the bloc for the first time since Brexit.

In an interview with ITV due to air on Tuesday, Burnham said the public would expect him to pursue closer ties with Brussels "with both hands." He appeared to rule out a return of free movement of people, saying any change should follow "an honest discussion" about Britain's options. "I have not proposed freedom of movement coming back," he said. The wider EU deal is reportedly due to be signed by the end of the month, and Labour has said any ban on the sachets would be "our choice."