According to the UK Government website, the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is “a regulatory framework that places the responsibility and costs of managing a product’s end-of-life, including packaging and waste management, on manufacturers and brand owners rather than taxpayers.”
In April 2022, a Plastic Packaging Tax was introduced, whereby all plastic packaging that did not contain at least 30 per cent recycled materials would be subject to this tax. Interestingly enough, sharp-eyed consumers would have noticed that manufacturers have been declaring this on goods, giving the impression that it was their achievement to be celebrated! A touch of greenwashing perhaps?
The move was aimed to minimise plastic waste and encourage investment in recycling. According to GWP, a UK based packaging manufacturer and designer, the packaging is measured as to how the product is contained, protected and handled, how it is presented and delivered, and whether it is hired out, loaned, imported etc. There are different rules for small and large businesses, online marketplaces, etc.
In October 2025 the EPR scheme in the UK was stepped up a gear. Producers are now accountable for the costs incurred in the disposal of that packaging after it has been discarded. Just one example, again from the government guidance, “… a UK confectionery company manufactures and packages sweets under their own brand. It sells these sweets to a UK supermarket. The supermarket goes on to sell the sweets to UK end users. In this instance it is the confectionery company that is accountable.” There are obviously many, many other examples. Will some of the increased costs be passed on to consumers?
There is a complex, comprehensive and exhausting (yes exhausting, rather than exhaustive!) list of which products are included in the scope of the new tax and which ones are not. There is also a sliding scale of charges for the more problematic packaging and … good news … it includes packaging marked as being made from bioplastic, and that deemed biodegradable, compostable etc. It appears that monies collected from the tax will go to local authorities, who are the ones who have been carrying the costs of disposal. It seems that similar schemes implemented in parts of Europe have resulted in reduced packaging and improved rates of recycling.
The long-awaited scheme should be beneficial to our environment and health. Plastic-free communities will be watching its implementation with interest!
