Courtney Pochin
Published June 3, 2026 4:30pm
Updated June 3, 2026 4:31pm
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The change will impact all foodie spots within the EU (Picture: Getty Images)
If you’ve got a holiday planned in a European country this summer, you might notice a major change when dining out.
A new rule is set to come into force from August 2026, which will see a common dinnertime staple banned from all restaurants and bars.
Under new European Union rules, all sachets of ketchup and mayo are set to disappear.
And you’ll likely also notice a few other things being replaced, too.
Single-use sachets of ketchup, mayo, and more will be disappearing under the new rules(Picture: Shutterstock / rblfmr)
As per the EU regulation 2025/40, single-use plastic packaging for condiments is being banned in the catering sector.
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This includes single-use plastic packaging for preserves, sauces, coffee creamer, sugar, and seasoning.
Instead of single-use plastic, food businesses will be required to replace the sachets and pots with reusable dispensers or shared containers.
The only exception to this rule is if the single-use packaging is given to someone taking away food for immediate consumption, or if the packaging is required to ensure safety and hygiene in establishments where there is a medical requirement, such as in a hospital or nursing home.
Shared bottles or dispensers will need to be used instead (Picture: Shutterstock)
The changes are part of a strategy to reduce plastic waste across Europe.
Online, there have been mixed responses to the new rule, with some thinking it’s a ‘good’ idea, while others are concerned about the hygiene of sharing bottles.
On X (formerly Twitter), a user known as @HackForumsNet agreed that single-use sachets are ‘wasteful’, saying: ‘In the restaurant should be bottles or large pump containers with those tiny paper cups. If you’re taking [food] home, have ketchup at home.’
@IamNORNISSE also thought it was for the best, proclaiming: ‘Good, I absolutely despise those packets.’
However, @diegedank wasn’t convinced, writing: ‘Funny thing is: In the past, big ketchup bottles were usual. Then they banned them because of hygienic standards. The rise of these small packets began. Now they are banning those.’
And @KekBunny commented: ‘Shared ketchup bottles are always sticky, with 50 strangers’ fingerprints on them.’
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This comes after some confusion as to whether EU rules about marmalade would impact the UK.
In April, it was claimed that a new food deal between the UK government and the EU would result in marmalade getting a new name.
This is because the definition of marmalade has been relaxed in Brussels, and as such, all traditional citrus-based marmalades now have to be clearly named and sold as ‘citrus marmalade’.
But before you panic, no changes will be made here.
As per the rules, the word ‘citrus’ can be substituted for ‘orange’, and since most marmalade in the UK is already sold as orange marmalade, a name change isn’t needed.
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A government spokesperson told Metro: ‘British marmalade is not changing; it will still be the same product available in our shops as it is now.
‘British manufacturers align with international standards to ensure our world-class produce can be sold to a larger international market.
‘Our deal with the EU supports businesses by removing the costly red tape that holds back our exporters from our largest trading partner.’
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They added: ‘Crucially, our agreement secures the UK’s ability to shape the rules that affect our industry in the national interest.’
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