Compostable produce bags and T-shirt bags for Spain: rules, spec and price per kg

A Spanish importer asked for a 20ft container of fruit bags on rolls and T-shirt bags in blocks. Under 50 microns, Spain only allows compostable bags (EN 13432), so the real price is about US$2.5–2.9/kg FOB, not the US$1.6–2.0/kg of plain HDPE.

Numbers checked 2026-11-05

The request

Fruit and vegetable bags on rolls, plus T-shirt (vest) carrier bags in blocks. One 20ft container, CIF Spain, payment by L/C. No material, size or thickness given.

Short answer

  • Produce bags on a roll are always thinner than 50 µm, so for Spanish shops they have to be certified compostable to EN 13432.
  • T-shirt bags have two legal routes: compostable (same as above), or 50 µm and thicker with at least 50% certified recycled plastic.
  • Oxo-degradable bags (additives such as d2w) are banned in Spain at any thickness. A bag sold as "biodegradable" can still be illegal.
  • Expect roughly US$27,500–32,000 FOB for a 20ft container of compostable bags, plus Spain's plastic tax of €0.45/kg paid by the importer.

Rules that decide the spec

  • Since 2021, light (15–50 µm) and very light (<15 µm) plastic bags that are not compostable may not be given to consumers, free or paid (Royal Decree 293/2018). source
  • Bags of 50 µm and more must contain at least 50% recycled plastic; from 70% they may be handed out free. source
  • "Compostable" means meeting UNE-EN 13432 or an equivalent standard. US BPI (ASTM D6400) listings help as evidence but do not replace it. source
  • Plastic packaging tax: €0.45/kg of non-recycled plastic, paid by the importer at customs. Recycled content only counts with a UNE-EN 15343 certificate. source

What it costs

  • Compostable film (PBAT/PLA/starch): US$2.5–2.9/kg FOB
  • Plain HDPE, for comparison (not legal for Spanish shops under 50 µm): US$1.6–2.0/kg FOB
  • Produce bag on roll, 30×40 cm, 12 µm (≈3.6 g): ≈US$9–10 per 1,000
  • T-shirt bag, (30+16)×55 cm, 25 µm (≈14 g): ≈US$35–41 per 1,000
  • One 20ft container (≈10–12 t): ≈US$27,500–32,000 FOB
  • Spanish plastic tax on 11 t: ≈€4,950

Estimates from public factory listings, not a quote. Bag weights assume the sizes shown.

How to check a factory

  • Material line on the spec sheet: PBAT, PLA or starch blend. If it says HDPE or LDPE, the "compostable" in the title is wrong.
  • Certificate number for TÜV Austria OK compost INDUSTRIAL or DIN CERTCO Seedling, looked up on the issuer's site, and checked that it covers the thickness ordered.
  • Expiry dates. One strong candidate had a home-compost certificate that lapsed in July 2026 while the platform still showed it.
  • Price sanity check: compostable bags offered under about US$2/kg are almost always polyethylene.
  • Factory or trader: platform audit reports and a factory address, then a visit by our team before the order.

Common traps

  • Most listings titled "compostable T-shirt bag" were HDPE in the spec table, priced like HDPE.
  • Several makers offered d2w as a material option, which Spain bans outright.
  • The makers with the best third-party compostable listings publish no prices at all, so a search that filters on visible price drops exactly the right factories.