The introduction of a new tax on packaging from today is pushing supermarket prices up by an average of 1%, according to newspaper reports.

The tax, levied by the government on food manufacturers, is being passed on directly to customers by retailers and is listed as a separate item on till receipts.

Albert Heijn supermarkets brought in the new tax on Sunday, the Telegraaf says. Konmar, Edah and Super de Boer will introduce the tax at the end of the week.

‘This sort of tax boosts inflation and hits both the consumer and the retailer,’ Rene Roorda of the retailers lobby group CBL told the paper.

The aim of the tax is to raise €240m, of which €115m will go to the government’s waste disposal fund Afvalfonds, the Telegraaf says.

Mark Rutte, leader of the right-wing Liberal party (VVD), said the tax was simply a boost for the treasury. It was a ‘lie’ to say the introduction was for the environment, Rutte was quoted as saying in the AD.

The Socialist Party, which backed the tax in parliament, said on second thoughts the government could have found a better method to reduce packaging waste.

The FNV trade union federation said it supports the idea of making the tax system ‘greener’, but the packaging tax is the latest in a string of tax increases, the AD reported.

The packing sector lobby group NVGP said its figures show the tax will cost more to administer than it will generate.