Ghana’s efforts to reduce plastic pollution is gaining momentum, driven by collaborative action and growing commitment from the private sector. At the heart of this momentum is the Voluntary Pact to Reduce Single-Use Plastics, a business-led initiative co-designed by Plastic Punch, a local environmental NGO, in partnership with Ghanaian businesses and supported by the German Development Cooperation, under the global program, Go Circular. The initiative is backed by the Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology (MEST) and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).
The Voluntary Pact brings together supermarkets, retail businesses, banks, and markets across Ghana, committed to cutting single-use plastics (SUP) by 50% by 2030. Inspired by best practices from Germany, Kenya or Rwanda, the Pact adopts home-grown solutions to reduce single-use plastic consumption, with a focus on consumer behaviour change. A flagship campaign under the Voluntary Pact is the “Bag the Habit of Single-Use Plastic,” encouraging
Ghanaians to refuse, reduce, and reuse single-use plastic bags. It supports existing advocacy and regulatory efforts, reinforcing the idea that the shift starts with everyday choices.
To mark the 2025 World Environment Day, key stakeholders from the EPA, Plastic Punch, the Food and Beverage Association of Ghana (FABAG), and SNEDA Supermarket have emphasized the urgent need for policy reforms, business leadership, and public engagement on single use plastics.
From Accra’s supermarkets to local food vendors, a national shift is underway. As Ghana rewrites its plastic story, the Voluntary Pact stands as a growing movement, and a shared responsibility for a cleaner, more circular future.
