A catering sector leader on Monday said about 70 percent of Hong Kong's 18,000 restaurants are still handing out plastic cutlery, despite the first phase of a citywide ban on single-use plastics coming into effect.

The government says it won't issue fines for breaches of the ban over the next six months.

The president of the Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, Simon Wong, said many small and medium-sized restaurants are still using plastic, because it's cheaper than alternatives.

Wong told an RTHK programme that he hopes people will get into the habit of taking their own cutlery with them when they go out for food, so they don't have to pay extra for eco-friendly options.

"The cost may be passed on to some people, because they may have to pay additional fees. However, I hope that people can, in the future, get into the habit of using their own tableware. It would be best if they can bring their own cutlery, as that way neither party needs to consider the matter of cost," he said.

The ban also means hotels can no longer provide guests with free plastic items, including disposable razors, toothbrushes and shower caps.

On RTHK's Backchat programme, the executive director of the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners, Caspar Tsui, said the industry is struggling to find alternative products.

"There has been a little difficulty in changing some of the products. Not because we were not willing to do it, but mainly because, you know, it's difficult to find sufficient suppliers and the quality of products that we need to maintain the service," he said.

"We're adjusting slowly, not because we don't want to, but it takes time."