The UAE ban on single-use products: what food businesses should check
What the UAE ban on single-use products covers since 1 January 2026, what is still unclear, and what to check before you order cups, lids and bags.
Since 1 January 2026, the second phase of the UAE's Ministerial Decision No. 380 of 2022 bans the import, manufacture and trade of a list of single-use products: beverage cups and lids, cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers and Styrofoam food containers, and single-use bags thinner than 50 microns whatever their material, paper included. Reports differ on whether the rule on cups and lids reaches paper cups, so confirm with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment before you order them for the UAE. This page summarises public announcements; it is not legal advice.
What the ban covers, as announced
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) is bringing the decision in by phases. As reported from its announcements:
- 1 January 2024: the first phase, starting with single-use plastic shopping bags.
- 1 January 2026: the second phase, covering beverage cups and lids; cutlery such as spoons, forks, knives and chopsticks; plates; straws; stirrers; and food containers and boxes made of Styrofoam.
- Single-use bags thinner than 50 microns, whatever the material, paper included.
- The ban applies to import, manufacture and trade in the UAE.
Reported exemptions
The announcements are reported to exempt the following. Check that yours is one of them with the Ministry before relying on it.
- Products made for export, clearly labelled for export or re-export and not sold in the UAE.
- Bags and products made from recycled materials within the UAE.
- Medicine bags and waste bags.
- Very thin bags used for fresh meat, vegetables and bread.
- Large shopping bags for clothing, electronics and toys.
What is not yet clear
The decision is described as a ban on single-use plastic products, and most reports apply the "whatever the material" wording to bags only. At least one report says it also covers paper cups and their lids. Until the Ministry's own text settles it, treat paper cups and lids for the UAE market as a question to confirm, not an assumption. Dubai also has its own rules and timetable, so check them too if you trade there.
What to check before you order
A few questions, asked before the order, avoid goods that cannot be sold when they arrive.
- Ask the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, or your local authority, whether each item you plan to import is covered.
- Ask your supplier for each product's material and, for bags, the thickness in microns.
- Ask your customs broker what the shipment needs to clear.
- For goods you only re-export from the UAE, ask how they must be labelled.
- PROMOPACK shows the material of each product on its product page, so you can check it against the rules.
Are paper cups banned in the UAE?
It is not settled in the reports we have read. Most describe the ban as covering single-use plastic products, while at least one says paper cups and their lids are included. Confirm with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment before ordering paper cups for the UAE.
Are paper bags banned in the UAE?
Single-use bags thinner than 50 microns are banned whatever their material, paper included, unless an exemption applies. The thickness is what decides it, so ask your supplier for it.
Does the ban apply to goods only passing through the UAE?
Products made for export are reported as exempt when they are clearly labelled for export or re-export and not sold in the UAE. Ask the authority how this applies to your shipment.
Is this page legal advice?
No. It summarises public announcements as of November 2026. The decision and its guidance can change, and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment is the authority on what it covers.