Styrofoam ban: Leaf traders urge return to tradition

Indomie sellers in parts of Accra have expressed concern that the planned ban on styrofoam products could increase their operating costs and force them to raise meal prices, while traditional leaf traders are encouraging them to return to the use of leaves for food wrapping.

At Kyeiwaa Indomie Joint at Adabraka Old Timers, Madam Comfort Boadi said the high cost of alternative takeaway packs could compel her to increase meal prices by GH¢5 to maintain her profit margins.

She explained that Indomie currently sold at GH¢30 would go for GH¢35, while a GH¢40 meal would cost GH¢45.

According to her, the market now had different types of alternative packs, including paper, black containers made of polypropylene plastic and gold packs made of aluminium foil but their prices remained a major concern.

She said the gold pack, which had a foil lining, sold at GH¢100 for 25 pieces, while the black pack cost GH¢70 for 40 pieces.

She noted that some customers had resorted to cleaning and reusing the packs, particularly the gold ones, to avoid paying an additional GH¢5 for packaging.

The vendor said sellers were considering either adding the packaging cost to the price of Indomie or charging customers separately for the packs.

“We have started telling customers about the ban and the new prices of the packs when they come to buy Indomie. We want to prepare their minds, but many reject the information and say it will never happen,” she said.

She said using leaves could also be challenging because they had to be purchased daily and could lose their freshness by the following day.

She, however, suggested that wrapping Indomie in leaves might make the meal cheaper, provided vendors could adopt the practice successfully.

She expressed the hope that the prices of alternative packs would reduce before January 2027, warning that further increases would leave sellers with little choice but to raise their meal prices. She also appealed to manufacturers not to increase packaging prices.

At Roxy Cinema in Adabraka, another Indomie seller, Madam Amonua Ampem, said she had never heard about the planned ban, despite regularly visiting the market to purchase supplies.

At Circle, Maame Esi, who has sold Indomie for eight years, said some alternative packs sold for GH¢150 and GH¢200, with each bundle containing fewer than 50 pieces, making them expensive for small-scale vendors.

She said takeaway packs were the most convenient option for serving Indomie and spaghetti to customers who wanted their meals packed for consumption elsewhere

She questioned how vendors would conveniently wrap Indomie in leaves and called for more public education to help sellers and customers understand the planned ban.

She also appealed to manufacturers to introduce affordable paper packs that could meet the needs of small-scale food vendors.

At the Odawna Taxi Rank, Maame Mother, who has sold Indomie for 10 years, said she had heard about the ban but had made no effort to switch to alternative packaging because she did not believe it would be enforced.

She also complained that the new packs contained too few pieces and called for manufacturers to supply about 100 pieces in a pack at an affordable price.

Other vendors at Kingsway expressed similar concerns about the cost of alternative packaging and urged the authorities to engage manufacturers to reduce prices, while many around Circle said they had never heard of the ban.

While Indomie sellers worry about the cost of alternative packaging, leaf traders at the Central Market (CMB) believe the ban could create opportunities for their businesses.

They urged food vendors to consider returning to the traditional practice of wrapping meals in leaves, which they said was suitable for several local foods and could offer a more affordable option.

Madam Priscilla Armah, a leaf trader who has been in the business for six years, said she had noticed an increase in the number of Indomie sellers buying leaves from her.

She said some vendors might initially consider the practice unusual but encouraged more sellers to give it a try.

“Those who patronise us are beans sellers, rice vendors and banku and sellers. Now, tilapia sellers buy from us. When you wrap tilapia in leaves, it is very nice. We also have a lot of Indomie sellers as customers,” she said.

“I encourage more Indomie sellers to come on board. Let us go back to our roots,” she added.

Madam Armah disputed claims that the leaves were always expensive, explaining that prices depended on their availability and the season.

She said a bundle containing about 28 leaves currently sold for GH¢5, but could cost GH¢20 in January when the leaves were less readily available.

She explained that the leaves were sourced from areas including Prestea in the Western Region, Kwahu in the Eastern Region and Kumasi in the Ashanti Region. She also mentioned the Avatime and Alavanyo areas of the Volta Region as places where the leaves were cultivated.

Another trader, Maame Tawiah, welcomed the planned ban and recalled that leaves and earthenware bowls were commonly used to serve food before takeaway packs became popular.

“Growing up, we knew paper and leaves for serving food. If it was a soupy meal, we used ahaban (leaves) and ayewa (earthenware bowls).

We grew up, and they introduced takeaway packs. At what point did the authorities realise that takeaway packs were not good for serving meals?” she asked.

She expressed excitement about the ban and encouraged food vendors to return to traditional wrapping methods.

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has announced a ban on the production, importation, distribution, sale and use of polystyrene foam products in Ghana, with enforcement scheduled to begin on January 1, 2027.

The directive covers expanded polystyrene foam products used for commercial and domestic purposes, including takeaway food containers, disposable cups and plates, as well as other foam packaging materials.

The EPA has directed manufacturers, importers, distributors, retailers, food vendors and hospitality businesses to begin transitioning to reusable, recyclable and environmentally friendly alternatives ahead of the deadline.

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