UK government to ban plastic wet wipes from entering market

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has announced on Tuesday November 18 new legislation to ban the sale and supply of wet wipes containing plastic from May 2027. The ban is a UK-wide approach, with legislation to follow across all nations.

An 18-month transition period has been permitted to allow retailers time to deplete existing stock while adopting plastic-free alternatives, the government said. Limited exceptions for medical and business-to-business use have been considered, it added.

Government data indicates that more than 30 billion wet wipes were sold in 2021, with over 80% containing plastic. Forecasts suggest total consumption will increase to 49 billion wipes by 2033.

Recent data from the government’s September 2025 Impact Assessment, seen by Fastmarkets, highlighted that many manufacturers were still producing wipes containing plastic. The government estimates that 38% of wet wipes sold in the UK still contain plastic.

The legislation follows sustainability research showing that microplastics introduced into the environment from these products are poisoning wildlife and destroying waterways.

“This ban will put an end to plastic wet wipes which choke our sewers, litter our beaches and poison wildlife. It’s another example of the government taking strong, decisive action to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas,” said Emma Reynolds, environment secretary.

Comments from trade associations suggest that most wet wipes brought to market in the UK come from plastic-free alternatives.

Wet wipe manufacturer Nice-Pak, which produces wet wipes on behalf of large retailers, told Fastmarkets that the company welcomes the legislation and noted that 96% of its UK sales are already plastic-free.

“We’ve long believed that investing in sustainable innovation is the right thing for the environment. We fully support a complete ban on plastic-containing wipes and stand ready to help others make the transition,” said a Nice-Pak spokesperson.

A consultation on proposals in October 2023 to ban plastic wet wipes across the UK showed strong industry backing, with 95% of respondents in favor.

Government data shows that on the manufacturing side, concerns emerged regarding losses in revenue and jobs. As part of the consultation, 70% of manufacturers who responded either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the ban.

The Impact Assessment highlights that wet wipe producers will take on estimated losses of £209 million due to higher input costs in producing plastic-free wipes alongside transition costs of £63 million.

Many large-scale retailers across the country, including Tesco, Boots and Aldi, began to take action in 2022 to phase out the sale of plastic wet wipes in stores.

In response, Tesco told Fastmarkets it does not sell any wipes containing plastic in any of its UK stores.

Trade association for the nonwovens industry EDANA previously welcomed the move by the government.

“We look forward to working with the four governments on the implementation and next steps for plastic-free consumer wet wipes in the UK,” said Gloria Jaconelli, EDANA’s communication and PR director.

This announcement follows previous legislation introduced in Wales earlier this year, with the ban coming into place from December 2026.

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