Plastics bans and packaged food and drinks

From 1 January 2025 you can no longer supply banned plastic items as part of packaged food and drinks.

Commonly called “integrated packaging” these are plastic items that have been packaged through a machine-operated process and are:

  • inside or attached to packaging material used to seal or contain food or beverages (including pre-packaged portions of food or beverages)
  • an integrated part of packaging material used to seal or contain food or beverages

Examples of integrated packaging that will be banned from 1 January 2025

3D icon of polystyrene cup with sealed lid 

an expanded polystyrene (EPS) cup containing dry noodles with flavouring or soup powder sealed by a machine-automated process

3D icon of plastic snack pack with integrated single-use plastic spoon 

a plastic spoon sealed within the packaging of a snack pack by a machine-automated process

3D icon of tetra pack with integrated single-use plastic straw 

a sealed plastic straw attached to a juice box by a machine-automated process

The bans include items made from biodegradable plastic, compostable plastic (including Australian certified compostable plastics) and bioplastics.

Prepare for the ban

Anyone affected by the upcoming bans should begin the process of transitioning away from supplying banned plastic items integrated into food and beverage packaging as soon as possible.

Brand owners and manufacturers

  • Consider whether the item is still required as part of your product, and what alternatives are available.
  • Plan and implement any changes necessary to production lines to cease the use of banned plastic items and switch to alternatives as soon as possible.
  • Inform your customers of the upcoming ban and ensure they know to exhaust existing stocks of affected products before 1 January 2025.

Distributors, retailers and other suppliers

  • Conduct stocktakes of affected products.
  • Ensure you can exhaust your stocks of affected items before 1 January 2025.
  • Inform your product buyers and customers of the upcoming ban and ensure they can exhaust any affected stock purchased before 1 January 2025.
  • Share this information with suppliers, importers, and other relevant parts of your supply chain.

Industry associations

  • Share this information with members and associates through any newsletters, regular meetings or other relevant communication channels.
  • Direct members to this page if they have any questions or concerns.