The modern paper drinking straw is a new highly engineered product that has become increasingly popular as a replacement for plastic straws, which are going to be banned as of July 2021.
To support this transition, 15 companies from the supply chain belonging to the EU trade association 360° Foodservice have developed a Charter of Trust for Paper Drinking Straws. Tembo is one of those companies, because we want to contribute to a uniform, high-quality standard for paper straws in Europe. On March 24th, 2021, 360° Foodservice organized an online event to launch the Charter of Trust for paper drinking straws.
About the 'Charter of Trust'
The Charter of Trust is an initiative to inform and help educate the marketplace about quality and safety. Secondly, Charter of Trust wants to promote companies and products that put compliance and safety first. This initiative was launched two years ago when it became apparent that some products currently in circulation on the EU market do not always comply with European legislation aimed at protecting consumers.
By joining the charter initiative, companies demonstrate that their products are fully compliant with EU and national legislation, from paper to adhesive and inks. The hope is to create and identifiable segment of the paper straw market where all companies in the supply chain make sure their products comply with the regulations.
Defining the quality of Paper Straws
As the paper straw has grown in prominence, it has become clear that small and middle-sized companies do not have the capacity to take informed decisions about the quality of the paper drinking straws they are buying. Similarly, national authorities lack the knowledge and resources to check the compliance of imports and products that are already on the market. The Charter of Trust intends to fill that information gap in the market to help identify compliant, safe products.
Tembo supports a European Trustmark
Companies signing up to the Charter commit to comply with all EU requirements on materials in contact with foodstuffs. Soon, an internationally registered Trustmark will be unveiled, that will make it easier for businesses in the food service supply chain to identify compliant products. Tembo supports this initiative together with other European manufacturers. This way, we contribute to a uniform, high-quality standard for paper straws in Europe.
For more information on this initiative, please visit the dedicated website (www.qualitystraws.eu) or contact the secretariat of 360° Foodservice ([email protected]).
