MONTEGO BAY, St James — Consumers are being told to brace for an increase in the price of “box food” as a long-awaited ban on single-use plastic containers takes effect on July 1.

Checks with food establishments in western Jamaica revealed that most owners were aware of the impending deadline to switch to paper containers but some employees were not. All the small business owners interviewed agreed that they would need to bump up their prices.

Aaron Beacon, who sells a variety of meals to people who use the nearby transport centre from his small restaurant on Barnett Street in Montego Bay, says he’s ready to switch to paper and he’s already made links with his Kingston supplier.

“It’s going to cost a bit more because the [containers] that we use now cost about $3,500 for 400; the paper box is about $5,500 for 200,” Beacon told the Jamaica Observer.

“We can’t absorb it all, we have to put on some increase but it shouldn’t be major because we just covering for the cost of the boxes,” he said.

He believes any food vendor who adds more than $50 to the price of a meal would “just be greedy”.

Beacon recognises the need for the ban.

“It’s good for the waterways, good for the river course and it’s a good move overall; but it’s just that we have to try and get the most reasonable options,” he said of the need to switch to paper.

Beacon suggested the removal of import duties on paper products as a way to increase compliance.

Single-use plastic items were banned in 2019 but many food sellers merely switched from Styrofoam to containers made from a thin, clear plastic. Several extensions were given but July 1 is now the cut-off date to transition to paper.

Like his counterpart in St James, Stanley Clarke
— who operates a cook shop in Falmouth, Trelawny
— said he understands the significance of the change and the need to protect the environment. He also believes that a price increase is inevitable.

“We just have to pass it on to the customer, what else can you do?” he mused.

Clarke has not started shopping around for paper products, but believes it won’t be hard to acquire them as business places operated by the Chinese usually move quickly to stock those items.

In addition to the plastic ban, Clarke wants more stringent steps against littering.

“They could have better laws because how a man can throw something here and there? [That] shouldn’t be,” he said. “Although the paper can’t block up the place as long as the plastic, it still will be blocking,” he said.

Unlike Beacon and Clarke, Deron — who is a chef at his sister’s restaurant in Great River, Hanover — anticipates that the ban will have a significant impact on the business’ bottom line.

“The paper thing them more expensive, that’s for sure. Because when my sister goes there she buys a little pack for $800 compared to when you buy the plastic where you get three packs of 50 for $200 or $300,” he said.

The switch to paper would have to be passed on to customers, he said, or “nothing really would be there after” for business operators.

Deron questioned why, with the plastic ban mere days away, some supermarkets and other businesses are still heavily stocked with these items.

“You can’t be telling me that you’re going to ban this and at the same time you can go and get it. If you’re going to do the right thing, make sure it can’t get on the market,” he stated.

According to Government guidelines, suppliers have up to six months to sell stock already in hand on July 1 and they will also be allowed, once they provide evidence, to clear imported orders placed before that date. Another aspect of the plastic ban is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2025. That will address the issue of cosmetic and personal care items, with intentionally added micro plastics or plastic microbeads.