These regulations will ban the supply, or offer to supply, of wet wipes which contain plastic from 18 December 2026.
The law aims to prevent environmental damage caused by the incorrect disposal of these products.
Timescale
The ban on the supply of wet wipes which contain plastic to consumers in Wales will begin on 18 December 2026.
Overview
The Environmental Protection (Single-use plastic products) (Wet Wipes) (Wales) Regulations 2025 [LEGISLATION.GOV.UK] make it a criminal offence to supply or offer to supply (including for free) wet wipes containing plastic to consumers in Wales.
The ban will start from 18 December 2026, to give time for manufacturers to adapt their production processes if they want to continue to supply the market in Wales.
An exemption has been included for the continued supply of plastic containing wet wipes which are ‘designed or manufactured for use in connection with medical care or treatment’.
Non-plastic wet wipes will not be impacted by the ban and can still be supplied.