Poland Scraps Plan for Free Tap Water in Restaurants Amid Consultation Concerns

A proposal to require restaurants, cafes, and other food service establishments in Poland to offer tap water, either free of charge or for a nominal fee, will not be included in the upcoming Extended Producer Responsibility (ROP) bill. The original draft, which was slated to take effect on August 12, included this provision aimed at reducing packaging waste.

However, during consultations, the clause was removed. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Climate and Environment explained on the X platform that regulations concerning water for customers in eateries need thorough consultation with all stakeholders, including consumers and business owners. "Adding them to a large ROP bill, which concerns waste management and not the sale of water in restaurants, did not allow for proper consultation. Therefore, they will follow a separate legislative path," the spokesperson stated.

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Przepisy o wodzie dla klientów w restauracjach powinny być właściwie skonsultowane z tymi, których dotyczą – klientami, właścicielami lokali, producentami napojów. Dodanie ich do dużej ustawy o ROP, która dotyczy gospodarki odpadami, a nie sprzedaży wody w restauracjach, nie dało szansy na właściwe ich skonsultowanie. Dlatego pójdą one odrębną ścieżką legislacyjną

Minister of Funds Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz noted on X that the Government Legislation Center had raised concerns about the phrase "small fee," deeming it too vague to establish a maximum price. She advocated for reinstating the provision, suggesting that simply removing the "small fee" option and leaving only "free of charge" would suffice. "Free tap water with a meal - a good, pro-people solution. This is how it works in many countries, e.g., in France or England," she commented, adding that her party, Poland 2050, would propose an amendment in parliament.

The initial version of the bill stated that establishments "should, where possible, provide their customers with tap water free of charge or for a small fee in reusable or refillable containers." The goal was to reduce packaging waste. The Ministry of Climate and Environment had previously informed a parliamentary interpellation that the free water provision was withdrawn during inter-ministerial consultations. The ROP bill itself aims to implement extended producer responsibility in Poland, introducing fees for packaging.

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Darmowa kranówka do dania - dobre, proludzkie rozwiązanie. Tak to działa w wielu krajach np. we Francji czy Anglii. Nie wiem co tu się zadziało, ale nie ma żadnych powodów, aby wykreślać ten zapis z ustawy. Wystarczyło usunąć »za niewielką opłatą« i zostawić samo »nieodpłatnie«