Reusable to go: This is how Erding's restaurateurs are reacting to the new regulation

Created: 01/03/2023, 3:00 p.m

By: Lea Warmedinger

Owner Sonja Daimer and chef Biagio Dimento from the restaurant La Barca at the moated castle in Taufkirchen have had good experiences with a reusable system for more than two years.

© Lea Warmedinger

Anyone who sells food and drinks to go must offer their customers the opportunity to take them away in reusable containers.

However, this regulation does not apply to all restaurateurs.

Erding

– Since January 1, restaurants, caterers and delivery services across the EU have been obliged to offer both disposable and reusable containers for food and drinks to take away.

There are a variety of deposit systems for restaurateurs in the district, but some are not yet fully prepared for the new regulation in the Packaging Act.

Single-use plastic has been banned since the summer of 2021.

The new tightening should now contribute even more effectively to avoiding waste.

(By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our regular Erding newsletter.)

There are no changes in the La Barca restaurant in Taufkirchen.

But only because owner Sonja Daimer has been using the Rebowl system for two and a half years.

"In the spring of 2020, when only collection and delivery were possible, we realized that plastic and aluminum were simply becoming too much.

It bothered me before, and then it got extreme," explains the owner: "It's an absurdity for the environment."

La Barca was one of the first restaurants in the district to introduce a deposit system.

"I did some research on the Internet and ordered the bowls," reports Daimer.

A bowl costs five euros, plus you pay a system fee of one euro per day.

"The customers take the dishes in the bowls with them for a deposit of five euros, hand them in later at all participating companies and get the deposit back."

Over time, the offer has been very well received.

"It's like deposit bottles that you give back.

People just have to get used to the system,” says the 55-year-old.

She couldn't understand why there weren't more participants in the area.

"There's nothing wrong with it.

We have neither more effort nor more costs.” All bowls are returned washed, “but of course we wash them again”.

Daimer keeps ordering, the demand is high.

The bowls are available in different sizes, now also with subdivisions, and the material is recyclable.

“Many of the customers keep the bowls too.

They close really well, keep the food warm and are suitable for the microwave,” Daimer enumerates.

"I'm glad the politicians are doing something.

It's about preserving our planet, and that's the least you can do."

Daimer believes that everyone should use such a system: "It's our responsibility as restaurateurs." She thinks it's "impossible" that some people are still exempt from the regulation.

For example, Asia Imbiss und Feinkost in Erding is not subject to the obligation, because according to the federal government, there is an exception for small businesses with a maximum of five employees and a maximum sales area of ​​80 square meters.

You should also be able to fill food and drinks into containers you bring with you.

The Lai family is relieved.

"For financial reasons, that would not be possible for us," says the snack bar owner.

Due to the high costs, switching to reusable is not worthwhile.

But there are also restaurants that had not received the information about the obligation to refill shortly beforehand and were therefore unable to prepare for it.

For example, the HQ Wok and Sushi in Dorfen have not yet planned the purchase of reusable tableware.

The Stuhlberger butcher's shop in Wartenberg is currently in the process of acquiring a system.

"So far we don't have any such tableware in stock, but it's our turn," says junior manager Julia Stuhlberger.

A meeting with reusable provider Relevo is scheduled for the beginning of January.

"Up until now, we've packaged warm lunches in a type of Styrofoam container that doesn't come under the Plastics Act," explains Stuhlberger.

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"I'm basically in favor of saving plastic wherever possible.

But you have to see how the implementation is possible, whether this is reflected in the costs and whether the customers accept it.

I think that's not practical for a lot of people, if someone's only in Wartenberg for a day or two, there's just no interest in taking reusable crockery with them."

The Menzinger inn in Lengdorf is also thinking about reusable containers.

"During the Corona period, we switched from plastic packaging to decomposable containers made of sugar cane," explains Georg Menzinger.

"But we have few customers who order takeaway." And many of them would bring their own dishes to fill.

In 2021, the district launched a survey on the subject of reusable deposits among restaurants, snack bars, cafés, village shops, butchers and bakeries: Do they already use a deposit system and which one would suit them best?

"49 companies took part," spokeswoman Claudia Fiebrandt-Kirmeyer said when asked.

The result of the survey was the recup/rebowl system.

"The district has invited potential users to take a look at this."

Some deposit systems are already in use, especially for hot drinks.

The great diversity of the systems offers many possibilities, but is also an obstacle to a uniform system, according to the spokeswoman.

The district will provide more information about the possibilities this year.

But: "A mandatory introduction and support of a reusable system is not possible."