can we do a little more if you use chip shops?

Maizie, the newspaper was in direct contact with food a long time ago. My mother lived in London and Hastings, and travelled to Leeds often- in the late 20s, early 30s- and she used to tell me about the ink being transferred to the fish and chips, with the lead it contained.

I'm not talking about 100 years ago, though, Fleurpepper!

In the 1950s and '60s, before newspaper wrapping was banned, there was always at least a layer of plain paper between the food and the newspaper. Just as biglouis described.

Newsprint doesn't rub off any more

In a way it's irrelevant, but I was just wondering...

We rarely use a chip shop at home if we go on holiday we will buy fish and chips. Which is in paper wrapping and wooden spoons. We might buy a meal which is in plastic lidded containers which I wash and reuse all the time. In the house and garden for seedlings and everything I need for potting up.

There is an article on the BBC website this morning about the use of plastic. All takeaways restaurants and cafes will have to stop the use of single use plastic cutlery plates and bowls. Some types of single use polystyrene cups and food containers too. This will come into force October 2023 a lot of businesses are saying they will have to try and source alternative packing. It will be expensive and they will have to put the costs onto customers.

In the 1950s and '60s, before newspaper wrapping was banned, there was always at least a layer of plain paper between the food and the newspaper. Just as biglouis described

My recollection too.

I don't buy food to take away so no guilt about plastic waste. We have excellent chip shops which are also restaurants and fish is served on china plates.

^ a lot of businesses are saying they will have to try and source alternative packing. It will be expensive and they will have to put the costs onto customers.^

The place where I volunteer had a policy of no single use plastic in their cafe, all their 'plastic' items are recyclable. It hasn't added to the cost.

Yes, it’s rather rude to correct posters who make spelling mistakes. We are not in a classroom…

MawtheMerrier

^In the 1950s and '60s, before newspaper wrapping was banned, there was always at least a layer of plain paper between the food and the newspaper. Just as biglouis described^

My recollection too.

I remember this as late as the 80s too

I was just quoting what is says on the BBC website I’m sure a lot of businesses do use recyclable plastic. But there are probably others who will pass any extra cost on to their customers. We only have to look at the cost of everything since Brexit and Covid.

Marydoll

Our chippies use cardboard boxes, paper and paper carrier bags., already doing their bit!

The ban on single use plastic came into force in Scotland in August 2022. I think shops have been allowed to use up existing stock, but certainly from our experience (and from the look of the litter in the park) the chip shops are now using paper boxes or just paper, and there is a lot of wooden cutlery around. At least it will rot away before the polystyrene boxes do and the wooden cutlery is useful as kindling.

Marydoll

Our chippies use cardboard boxes, paper and paper carrier bags., already doing their bit!

So does ours, not that we buy fish and chips often.

They do use polystyrene cups for the mushy peas, though.

Hate seeing do many Polystyrene containers

I have to say that the worst place I saw for the use of polystyrene containers was the local hospital while I was sitting waiting for hours for DH one day last year.

Staff were coming out of the staff canteen carrying polystyrene boxes of food, sitting in the corridor along from me eating from polystyrene containers.
I went to buy myself something to eat in the cafe, it was served in one of those containers even though I was sitting at a table and apparently there is no recycling facility there as yet.

Our local chip shop has just closed, to make a profit fish and chips would have to be £15 per meal and people were not prepared to pay that.

People like me are to blame, as I only used it a couple of times a year. I regret not giving them more support. I suppose in the future they will only be in busy tourist towns.

With the increased cost of fish, oil and fuel, fish and chips is no longer the fairly cheap takeaway it once was. We buy fresh fish each week and the price has soared - but I don’t begrudge the men who work in sometimes atrocious conditions to catch the fish.

MaizieD

Oh, apparently single use plastic has been banned since 2021 in the EU.

Aren't we glad that we're not obliged to obey their draconian rules any more... 🤔

The UK is just thinking about it...

mobile.twitter.com/D_Raval/status/1602650557642063873

Bits of the UK have already done it. England being the coo's tail again...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-61644344

www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-64253130?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

It won't come into effect in Wales until autumn this year.

I think private enterprises are trying but when a huge organisation like the NHS is still using it, there is a mountain to climb.
No pun intended.

My memories of buying fish and chips a good deal goes back to London in the 60's. Oh, Yes, one tiny square of white paper on which fish was placed, then chips and then all wrapped in newspaper, which, most definitely DID touch the food and - aback then neswprint came off easily, JUsed to use newspaper when I was an Apprentice hairdresser for cleaning mirrors and my hand were always black afterwards.

As I said, in anycase, no=one knew where the newspaper had been before being taken into shop. Many people read their newspapers sitting on the loo. Makes you shudder just to think about it.
ot
Living in seasside town now, there are lots of chippies. However, the cost of this is so high I can never buy them. I do appreciate the reasons behind these high price, but I can chip one medium potato and place in airfryer and purchase a breaded piece of fish to make me this meal at home for so much less than buying it as a takeaway.

Our chippy uses paper bags, apart from the mushy peas. The cost, for one large cod (shared), one small chips and mushy peas, is £10.40, not too bad. I’ve seen coffee and cake x 2 for a similar price and we’re supporting a local business.

I suspect fewer people buying newspapers = fewer newspapers being produced therefore there wouldn't be enough anyway.

Franebern newspaper is a good insulation material - it kept the fish and chips nice and hot!

Jaxjacky

Our chippy uses paper bags, apart from the mushy peas. The cost, for one large cod (shared), one small chips and mushy peas, is £10.40, not too bad. I’ve seen coffee and cake x 2 for a similar price and we’re supporting a local business.

Two cod, one portion of chips (it's too much for us) and one mushy peas was £18.90 last week. Up from £14.50 only a few months ago and that was a price increase too.

Franbern A chippy has premises, and all the costs (council tax, energy, maintenance, staff, insurance etc etc. Your home made fish and chips would be much more expensive if you attached a share of the costs attached to having a house, an airfryer etc etc whee you could cook your home made version.

And nic as a home made version may be, or even fish and chis ordered in a cafe or restaurant, there is nothing to compare with the batter cooked fish and chips from a good standard chippy.

there is nothing to compare with the batter cooked fish and chips from a good standard chippy

I agree! No attempts at home can compare and the best ones are eaten from the paper/box on a seat overlooking the sea. 🙂

Maizie, I was responding to this post 'The newspaper was never in direct contact with the food.'

BTW we should try and do our best to influence non plastic/polystirene use for all types of meals and take aways, not just from t'chippy. And in stores too.

Haven’t had a polystyrene container from the chippy for ages. Chips are in paper and fish is either in paper or in cardboard lined with grease proof paper. Best chippies near us has cardboard containers for peas, curry, etc. One still has polystyrene for peas/ curry.

All the food in MacDonalds here in France is now served in re-usable ,washable containers so no emptying your tray into the bin anymore. Is it the same in UK?
Not sure how eco friendly this is tbh as all the containers are made of rigid plastic and are using extra electricity and detergents to clean them for the next customers.