Bars, cafés and restaurants across Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands, will soon be forced to stop offering single-use plastic sachets for condiments such as ketchup, mayonnaise, vinegar and sauces under new European Union rules. The regulations, which take effect on August 12, 2026, are part of the bloc's commitment to cutting plastic waste and are expected to bring major changes to the hospitality sector during the peak summer tourist season.
Under the new legislation, businesses must replace single-use plastic sachets with more sustainable alternatives, including refillable communal dispensers, reusable glass or ceramic containers, or paper-based or certified compostable sachet packaging. However, even compostable sachets will only be allowed temporarily, with the EU planning to phase them out completely by 2030.
The changes have sparked concern among restaurant owners and hospitality associations, who warn that refillable containers could create hygiene and food safety risks. Industry groups argue that constantly reused dispensers and open condiment containers may increase the risk of contamination if not cleaned and monitored properly, especially in busy tourist areas with high customer turnover.
The EU regulation includes some exceptions where sealed single-use packaging may still be allowed, such as in hospitals and healthcare centres, or where food safety requirements demand sealed packaging. Exact limits of some exemptions are still being debated.
Global industries use an estimated 855 billion plastic sachets annually. As they are made of bonded, mixed materials, almost all are destined for landfill or incineration rather than recycling. The single-serve and portion-control (less than 50ml) segment is the fastest-growing market in Europe, increasing by around 5.7% annually due to reliance on fast food and takeaway orders.
The measure forms part of wider European efforts to reduce plastic waste and cut the environmental impact of disposable packaging. The EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) entered into force in 2025 and will be actively applied from August 12, 2026. One of its core objectives is to cut per capita packaging waste by 15% by 2040, compared to 2018 levels. Exporters moving goods from Britain to the EU, or operating in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework, must ensure full compliance or risk having goods rejected at the border.
