How’s this for a scoop – Ben & Jerry’s put a freeze on single-use plastic

The global ice cream brand it will no longer offer plastic straws and spoons from early 2019

ben & jerrys

Ben & Jerry’s has announced it is phasing out single-use plastic.

The global ice cream brand says it will no longer offer plastic straws and spoons from early 2019 and plans to come up with an alternative solution to plastic cups and lids by the end of 2020.

The company’s stores, known as Scoop Shops, currently hand out around 2.5 million plastic straws a year, as well as 30 million plastic spoons.

A spokesperson from the firm said relying on recycling wasn’t a viable solution for the future and added companies need to stop using the material altogether.

Paul Burns, Executive Director of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, said: “Single-use plastics are a pollution threat unlike anything we’ve seen before. Across the globe, discarded plastics are choking our environment and threatening wildlife.

“That’s why Ben & Jerry’s plan to move away from single-use plastics is exactly the kind of leadership we need. We urge other businesses to follow Ben & Jerry’s example and kick the plastics habit.”

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