June 9, 2022: From July 1, 2022, single-use plastic will be banned across the country. While the move is aimed at cutting down the plastic waste generation, it comes as a challenge to the makers of beverages like juices, buttermilk, milk and milkshakes, coconut water because they attach small plastic straws on their tetra packs for users to drink up the beverage.

Moreover, looking for alternatives to plastic straws like attaching a paper straw or redesigning the juice box may lead these companies to say goodbye to their affordable and consumer-friendly price points. The ban will also force the beverage makers to import paper straws from countries such as Indonesia, China, Malaysia and Finland.

"There is no sustainable alternative to integrated plastic straws available in the country today. So we are working on importing paper straws... Importing paper straws would also have cost implications on companies and lead to loss of revenue to the government exchequer," Economic Times quoted Mohit Malhotra, CEO of Dabur India as saying. The company manufactures the 'Real' fruit juice.

Companies like Amul and Parle Agro have urged the government to postpone the implementation of the ban by at least 6 months to a year so that they can develop the required infrastructure.