Cyprus comes 4th in the EU for plastic bag use

Cyprus was the fourth-highest user of plastic bags in the EU in 2022, according to Eurostat data. This high rate of consumption is notable despite the fact that the EU saw a 14% decrease in the overall use of plastic bags compared to 2021 as a result of different initiatives taken by Member States to reduce the use of plastic.

According to published data, Lithuania had the greatest average number of plastic bags used per person among EU nations in 2022 (249 bags), followed by Latvia (193 bags) and the Czech Republic (185 bags). Cyprus, with more than 150 plastic bags per person, came in fourth. Detailed data on Cyprus, however, shows the rate of use of plastic bags by thickness rather than a total number.

In Lithuania, Latvia, and the Czech Republic, most bags used were very lightweight, defined as those with a thickness of less than 15 micrometers (μm). For Cyprus, usage was split across categories: 82.3 bags per person were in the very lightweight category (less than 15 μm), 83.8 bags were between 15 and 49 μm, and a total of 166.1 bags per person measured under 50 μm in thickness.

In contrast, the lowest plastic bag consumption in the EU was recorded in Belgium, where the average was just four bags per person, followed by Poland at seven bags, and Portugal at 13 bags per person.

Overall, EU citizens used roughly 29.8 billion lightweight plastic bags in 2022, 4.7 billion fewer than the previous year. With an average of 66.6 bags per person, this reduction represents a 10.8-bag (14%), decrease from 2021.

By the end of 2025, Member States are required by the EU's Plastic Bag Directive to limit the number of lightweight plastic bags used by each individual to no more than 40 bags. Bags that weigh less than 15 μm are not included in this objective. The disparity in per capita spending among EU nations is a reflection of the success of domestic policies, which are impacted by social, political, and economic variables. Furthermore, different nations have different timeframes for implementing these policies, some made major actions between 2018 and 2022, while others took a more measured approach over a longer time frame. The disparities observed in plastic bag consumption figures are partly influenced by the various calculation techniques employed by every country.