Packaging Regulation – Lessons From Europe

The UK’s new packaging regulations are bringing major change, but existing European systems give an indication of what to expect.

The long-awaited public consultation on Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging Waste is upon us. We have known for some time that costs will rise substantially but, as we move closer to actual policy, the scale of the challenge ahead becomes clearer. While this is a daunting prospect for many, forewarned is fore-armed. With the right preparations, a great deal can be done to mitigate costs and participate in the move to a more sustainable future. Many of our European neighbours are already on the path to EPR-ready; we can learn a great deal from their experience.

When the UK adopted the latest Circular Economy Package, we committed to a change in extended producer responsibility (EPR). Instead of the packaging producers – retailers and brands – funding part of the cost of recycling, they would now be responsible for 100 per cent of the net cost of recovery and recycling.

As plastics come under greater scrutiny, brands which already collect information on polymer types will benefit from lower fees.

What this means is that packaging producers will fund household collections and recycling. With the latest, and final consultation, the full costs have become available. In 2019 – the most expensive year in the history of the packaging recovery note (PRN) system to date – the cost to producers came to £355 million. With the full implementation of EPR in 2024, this will rise to £2.7 billion. The cost will most likely be borne by brand owners and importers, but the effect will be felt throughout the supply chain.

Across Europe, some countries have already started preparing. Patterns are emerging, and it is clear that data collection and management is critical.

In Spain for example, producers are required to include polymer types in their submissions for plastics. As well as listing the volume of plastic as we currently do in the UK, polymers are split into nine different types. The fees are more expensive for polymer types which are less easily recyclable, and lower for those that that can be recycled efficiently.

This type of modulated fee system has already been outlined for the UK. In December 2020, partners including the British Retail Consortium and government launched a joint project to co-design a modulated system where costs are linked to the complexity of different types of packaging. The aim would be to financially incentivise greater use of recyclable packaging, and explore ways that higher charges could apply to those producers using more problematic products. 

Modulated fees may introduce a type of penalty or bonus system to the UK.

The French approach uses a penalty and bonus scheme. If packaging is easily recycled or – in the case of cardboard – contains a percentage of recycled content, producers receive a discount on their fees. They can also apply for a reduced fee if they are active in consumer awareness, or show pack sourcing information on labels.

In each of these examples, data is the key to success. Valpak manages the largest packaging database in the UK, with 33 million SKUs, and even with such a comprehensive bank of data, it is clear that the majority of producers, while recording the right information for the current system, will need to expand the level of data being gathered in order to prepare for future requirements.

Planning a major overhaul of packaging across multiple product lines is no mean feat. It must be based on genuine evidence and robust data. Brands and retailers will already be aware that the primary purpose of packaging is to protect the product inside. It also needs to appeal to the consumer. As well as meeting practical needs, changes should also be considered in light of individual brand goals, such as carbon reduction.

EPR will come into force in 2023, with a phased implementation leading to full engagement in 2024. To begin preparations, producers should start to collect the relevant data as soon as possible.

Plastics are sure to come under greater scrutiny, so collecting data on polymer types is a good place to start. Other areas that might fall under the microscope relate to recyclability. In Sweden, for example, coloured plastics are taken into consideration. Where plastic packaging features more than 60 per cent black ink, a higher fee is paid.

While the fees under EPR will vary slightly from country to country, the criteria will be broadly the same. The general theme across Europe – and earmarked for the UK – is a higher fee for less recyclable material, and a focus on plastics. While individual countries have different infrastructure for recycling, some material types and polymers will always be easier to recycle than others.

Perhaps more variable are the requirements of individual brands and retailers when it comes to packaging redesign. Some have already set goals which exceed the requirements of compliance; others will take a phased or targeted approach focusing on specific product lines. Each needs to look at its own portfolio and assess where the cost risk is greatest.

For now, the best strategy for packaging producers is to familiarise themselves with the regulations, inform finance departments that costs will rise, and check that they are able to access the data they will need. Once these preparations are in place, they will be prepared to act on the new regulations, with the best chance of mitigating the new level of cost.