Plastic straw rules: who can buy them in the UK
Single-use plastic straws are not banned in the UK — but who they can be supplied to is restricted, and that catches a lot of buyers by surprise. If you run a café, a care home, a school kitchen or a wholesale business, you can almost certainly still buy them. If you are buying for yourself to use at home, you generally cannot.
This page sets out where the line falls in England, which buyer categories are exempt, how Scotland and Wales differ, and what we ask you to confirm at checkout. Paper straws are not restricted at all and need no declaration.
Plastic straw rules
Who we can supply plastic straws to.
In England, the Environmental Protection (Plastic Straws, Cotton Buds and Stirrers) (England) Regulations 2020 restrict the supply of single-use plastic straws to end users. Supply to eligible businesses and organisations — including catering establishments — is permitted. Paper straws are not restricted at all.
What's restricted
Supplying single-use plastic straws to an end user in England — someone who will use them themselves — outside the exemptions.
What's permitted
Wholesale supply to businesses that are not end users — including catering establishments, resellers, manufacturers, pharmacies, care homes, schools and prisons.
Scotland & Wales
Different rules apply under the 2021 Scotland Regulations and the 2023 Wales Act. Buyers there should check the applicable legislation.
Exempt categories for plastic straw supply (England)
Your order must fall within one of these categories — the conditions of supply are set out on your invoice
| Buyer category | Notes |
|---|---|
| Businesses buying for resale | Wholesalers, distributors and retailers purchasing to sell on within the rules. |
| Manufacturers | Businesses using straws in the manufacture of another product. |
| Catering establishments | Restaurants, cafés, bars, hotels and canteens — excluded from the definition of end user, so wholesale supply is permitted. |
| Care homes, schools, early years providers & prisons | Named exempt establishments under the 2020 Regulations. |
| Registered pharmacies | May also sell plastic straws on to individuals. |
| Medical & health professionals | Doctors, dentists and other health professionals. |
ⓘ Paper straws can be bought by anyone with no declaration. Baskets containing plastic straws ask you to confirm you are buying for a business or organisation, and we record that confirmation against your order. This page is general guidance, not legal advice.