Wetherspoon’s to BAN single-use plastic straws from its pubs
WETHERSPOON'S will stop using plastic straws across its 900 pubs in the UK and Ireland by the end of the year.
From January 2018, all of the company's pubs will use biodegradable paper straws instead.
In the meantime, bar staff will no longer automatically put a plastic straw in your drink, although they will remain available for customers if requested.
Single-use plastics, like the every day plastic straws you find in many bars, pubs and restaurants, are reportedly one of the biggest pollutants of our seas and oceans.
“These changes are part of an overall commitment from the company to reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste produced," chief executive John Hutson said.
“We believe that Wetherspoon pub-goers will welcome this,” he added.
The company joins eco-friendly pubs such as All Bar One and Laine Pub Company, which announced they will phase out plastic straws earlier this year.
The move also follows new rules introduced two years ago forcing customers to pay a 5p charge for plastic bags, which drastically reduced the number of bags being used.
Usage of single-use carrier bags has dropped by more than 85 per cent, according to government figures.
Last year, Tesco revealed that it had given out 1.5 billion fewer single-use bags since the rule change.
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Meanwhile, a major campaign to protect marine animals from the "frightening scale of plastic pollution" could soon see shoppers get cash back for returning plastic bottles and cans to shops.
While plastic cotton buds are also set to disappear from supermarket shelves by the end of next year.
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