Environment Secretary George Eustice said: "Single-use plastics cause real devastation to the environment and this Government is firmly committed to tackling this issue head on.
"Our 5p charge on single-use plastic bags has successfully cut sales by 95 per cent in the main supermarkets, we have banned microbeads, and we are building plans for a deposit return scheme to drive up the recycling of single-use drinks containers.
"The ban on straws, stirrers and cotton buds is just the next step in our battle against plastic pollution and our pledge to protect our ocean and the environment for future generations."
There will be exemptions in place to protect disabled people and those with medical conditions who require plastic straws.
Campaigners welcomed the move but said the items formed only a "fraction" of the plastic waste littering the environment.
