Most restaurant buyers who weigh up paper vs plastic takeaway bags are not starting from zero. Some have already moved to paper and want to know whether plastic still has a place for soup-heavy or rain-exposed delivery orders. Others are still using plastic and are watching charges, levies and bans arrive market by market. This comparison covers how the two materials perform with food orders, where the real cost differences come from, and how current rules in the EU, Germany, the UK and the US affect the choice. If you have already decided on paper, the custom printed takeaway bags hub covers formats and specification.
Should a restaurant use paper or plastic takeaway bags?
For most restaurants in the EU, UK and US, paper is now the default for takeaway bags: it suits the regulatory direction, carries a flat base for meal boxes and is what most customers expect. Plastic keeps an advantage in moisture resistance and weight, and may still suit wet orders or specific markets, but it increasingly carries charges, levies and restrictions.
It is rarely all-or-nothing. Some chains use paper for nearly all orders and keep a small plastic or plastic-lined option for liquids, or use paper bags with better wet strength instead. The right answer depends on your order mix, delivery conditions and the markets you operate in.
How do paper and plastic takeaway bags perform?
Paper bags win on base stability, print appearance and alignment with regulation; plastic bags win on moisture resistance, weight per bag and storage space. Heat and grease affect each differently.
| Property | Paper (kraft) takeaway bags | Plastic (PE) takeaway bags |
|---|---|---|
| Base and stability | SOS and block-bottom bags stand upright with boxes level | Many plastic bags have no flat base; block-bottom and gusseted versions exist but are less common |
| Moisture and rain | Loses strength when wet; wet-strength grades help | Unaffected by water and condensation |
| Grease | Absorbs oil and can show spots; liners or treated papers needed for oily orders | Grease does not penetrate |
| Steam | Paper absorbs some moisture and breathes slightly, but softens | Holds condensation inside; food can sweat |
| Strength when dry | High for its weight with the right grade | High tear resistance and stretch for very low weight |
| Weight per bag | Higher | Much lower |
| Storage at the restaurant | Bulkier stacks | Compact |
| Flexo on kraft; natural or white look | Flexo on film; brighter colours on white film | |
| Tamper evidence | Labels, adhesive flaps, tear strips | Heat seals and labels |
| Customer perception | Widely seen as the expected choice for food orders | Increasingly questioned, varies by market |
The moisture row is the one that matters most in practice. A paper bag full of hot food in a closed rider bag deals with condensation from the inside; a plastic bag keeps rain out but traps steam in. How paper behaves under heat, steam and oil, and how wet strength and liners change that, is set out in grease-resistant takeaway bags.
Is paper more expensive than plastic for takeaway bags?
Per bag, paper usually costs more than a thin plastic bag, mainly because it uses considerably more material by weight. But unit price is only part of the cost: plastic bags increasingly carry charges, levies, EPR fees and tax that paper does not, or not to the same extent, and the balance differs by market.
The cost elements to compare:
| Cost element | Paper bags | Plastic bags |
|---|---|---|
| Material per bag | More material by weight | Much less material by weight |
| Conversion and print | Flexo, plates per size and colour | Flexo, plates per size and colour |
| Freight and storage | Heavier and bulkier per thousand bags | Lighter and more compact |
| EPR fees | Paid per weight of paper placed on market; fees vary by country and may be modulated by recyclability | Paid per weight of plastic; plastic rates are typically higher per kg |
| Specific levies and taxes | Generally none specific to paper bags | Germany: single-use plastic fund levy; UK: Plastic Packaging Tax on low-recycled-content plastic |
| Customer charges | England: no charge on paper; Scotland (10p), Wales (5p) and Northern Ireland (25p) charges cover paper; some US states require a charge on paper bags | England: minimum 10p on single-use plastic bags; other markets vary |
Because paper is heavier, weight-based fees on paper can be meaningful even where the per-kg rate is lower. Model the full cost per bag in each market, including fees you pay as the business placing the packaging on the market, rather than comparing ex-works unit prices. The packaging cost drivers guide explains how material, print and quantity combine in a unit price.
What do current regulations say about takeaway bags?
Regulation in all four regions is moving away from single-use plastic bags, through bans on very light plastic bags, levies, charges and taxes, while paper bags face recycled-content and charge rules in some US states and UK nations. Obligations depend on your role, such as brand owner, importer or outlet, so confirm them with the relevant authority or compliance scheme.
European Union
- Directive (EU) 2015/720 already requires Member States to cut use of lightweight plastic carrier bags (under 50 microns), either through consumption targets or by ensuring they are not handed out free of charge, which is why charges and bans differ by country.
- Regulation (EU) 2025/40, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), applies generally from 12 August 2026. Its Annex V restrictions from 1 January 2030 include very lightweight plastic carrier bags, with exceptions.
- From 1 January 2030 at the earliest, plastic packaging must also meet minimum recycled-content targets, with the percentage depending on the packaging category, and all packaging must meet recyclability grades A, B or C.
- The Single-Use Plastics Directive (EU) 2019/904 includes extended producer responsibility, including litter clean-up costs, for lightweight plastic carrier bags.
- Paper bags with a plastic lining or coating sit in a grey area: the Commission's SUP Directive guidelines treat plastic-lined paper products as single-use plastic, and under the PPWR the Commission's guidance notice of 5 June 2026 (C(2026) 3702, not legally binding) treats paper-based packaging containing 5 % or more plastic as single-use plastic packaging for the Annex V restrictions from 1 January 2030, which for foodservice concern dine-in rather than takeaway use. Check the plastic share and the current position before choosing lined bags.
The PPWR guide covers the wider regulation.
Germany and Austria
- Germany's single-use plastic fund (Einwegkunststofffondsgesetz) charges a per-kilogram levy, paid by whoever first places the products on the German market (often the importer). The published rates include about €3.801 per kg for lightweight carrier bags and €0.876 per kg for bags and wrappers. These rates can change, so check the current EWKFondsV figures.
- Takeaway bags filled at the point of sale count as service packaging under German packaging law (the VerpackDG from 12 August 2026), with LUCID registration required of the restaurant.
- Austria licenses packaging through collection systems under the Verpackungsverordnung 2014.
See the Germany and Austria compliance guide.
United Kingdom
- England requires a minimum 10p charge on single-use plastic carrier bags (up to 70 microns); paper bags are not charged in England. The charges in Scotland (minimum 10p since 1 April 2021) and Wales (minimum 5p since 1 October 2011) also cover single-use paper bags, and Northern Ireland's 25p levy (since 1 April 2022) applies to new carrier bags of any material retailing at £5 or less, with exemptions such as bags for hot takeaway food.
- Plastic Packaging Tax applies to plastic packaging with less than 30 % recycled plastic, at £228.82 per tonne from 1 April 2026; manufacturers and importers of 10 tonnes or more a year must register.
- Packaging EPR fees apply to UK producers by material, with modulation by recyclability from the second year.
- Wales has postponed a second phase of single-use plastic restrictions, which included carrier bags.
See the UK packaging regulations guide.
United States
- Bag rules are set at state and local level. California SB 1053 bans plastic carryout bags at covered stores from 1 January 2026; recycled paper bags there must carry printed markings (manufacturer, country of manufacture, post-consumer content percentage), be sold for at least 10 cents and contain at least 50 % post-consumer recycled content from 1 January 2028 (the text in force for 2026 and 2027 sets no interim percentage). New York bans most plastic carryout bags and lets cities and counties charge a 5-cent paper bag fee, but sets no state recycled-content minimum for paper bags, and exempts bags used by restaurants to carry out or deliver food. New Jersey bans paper carryout bags at grocery stores of 2,500 sq ft or more, and its Recycled Content Law requires paper carryout bags sold in the state to contain at least 40 % post-consumer recycled content (20 % for bags made to hold 8 lb or less).
- Whether a restaurant counts as a covered store depends on each law's definitions (California's SB 1053 definition covers larger grocery stores, large stores with a pharmacy and licensed convenience stores, food marts and liquor stores, not restaurants), so check the wording for each state and city where you trade.
- Several states have packaging EPR laws, generally placing obligations on the brand owner.
See the US foodservice packaging regulations guide.
Plastic bag rules in more detail are covered in plastic carrier bag regulations, and retail paper bag laws in paper bag regulations by market.
Can you call paper takeaway bags eco-friendly?
Not without care. Generic environmental claims such as "eco-friendly" are increasingly restricted, so any claim printed on a takeaway bag should be specific, accurate and supportable, for example a stated recycled-content percentage that you can document.
In the EU, the Empowering Consumers Directive (EU) 2024/825 applies from 27 September 2026 and bans generic environmental claims without recognised excellent environmental performance. In the UK, the CMA's Green Claims Code and the DMCC Act 2024 apply. In the US, the FTC Green Guides (16 CFR 260) remain in force, and California SB 343 restricts recyclability claims (enforcement preliminarily enjoined by a federal court since 14 July 2026; check case status). Paper being the default does not by itself justify a claim. The recyclable vs compostable packaging guide covers claims in more depth.
When does plastic still make sense?
Plastic remains a reasonable choice where moisture is the dominant risk and local rules allow it: soup- and liquid-heavy orders, bicycle delivery in persistent rain, or markets where paper bag requirements are hard to meet. Even then, many operators find that wet-strength paper, sealed containers and better sizing solve the problem without a plastic bag.
Questions to ask before keeping a plastic option:
- Is the problem the bag, or leaking containers inside it? Better lids and sealed containers often fix wet bags.
- Would a wet-strength paper bag survive the delivery time?
- What charges, levies and fees apply to plastic bags in each market you trade in?
- Does keeping two bag materials complicate stock, training and claims?
If you do need plastic, the custom printed plastic bags hub covers materials, thickness and print.
Decision rules
- If most orders are boxed, dry or moderately greasy and travel less than about half an hour, choose paper and specify grade, liners and size properly.
- If you operate in markets with plastic bag levies, charges or restrictions, model the full plastic cost including fees before assuming plastic is cheaper.
- If moisture failures are frequent, test wet-strength paper and container sealing before switching material.
- If you are considering plastic-lined paper, check the current regulatory position in each market first.
- If you plan to print environmental claims, decide on specific, documented claims before artwork is finalised.
Next step
If paper is the answer, the next decisions are format, size, grade and closure. Work through them on the custom printed takeaway bags hub and request a quotation through the contact page, noting the markets where the bags will be used so recycled-content and marking requirements can be considered at technical review.