Net zero and packaging announcements
“Nobody wants seven bins, but we do need councils to collect & sort recyclables so we can turn packaging back into packaging. Now’s the time for Defra to work with us to get the details right.”
The industry uses plastics and other packaging materials primarily to protect products across the supply chain and ensure they reach the consumer in a safe and optimal condition; packaging therefore also plays an important role in preventing food waste and contributing to the sustainability of the whole supply chain.
The FDF and its members acknowledge their share of responsibility for the impact of packaging on the environment, alongside our value chain partners and stakeholders. A key example is when packaging finds its way into the environment as litter rather than being disposed of responsibly and kept in the circular economy through recycling.
The FDF is a founding signatory of the UK Plastics Pact, bringing together the entire plastics value chain under one ambitious set of targets. We are fully committed to working with our value chain, Governments, and consumers on reform of the recycling system in the UK and to building a truly circular economy for food and drink packaging.
Updates & milestones
Single-use plastics ban in England to commence in Autumn 2023
On 14th January 2023, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Thérèse Coffey, announced that a range of single-use plastics will be banned in England from October 2023.
The ban will include single-use plastic plates, trays, bowls, cutlery, balloon sticks, and certain types of polystyrene cups and food containers. It will also cover items made from plastic that is bio-based, biodegradable or compostable.
Further detail of the policy decisions can be viewed in the consultation response available here.
The ban will not apply to plates, trays, and bowls that are used as packaging in shelf-ready pre-packaged food items, as these will be included under the Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme.
These plans follow from the 2018 ban on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products and 2020 restrictions on the supply of single-use plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds.
The Government is also considering further measures around other commonly littered and problematic plastic items, including wet wipes, tobacco filters and sachets, following the call for evidence on this issue.
WRAP publishes ‘The Plastics Waste Hierarchy’ report
The waste hierarchy is a tool used in the evaluation of different waste management options according to which is the best for the environment. The aim is to extract the maximum practical benefits from products and to generate the minimum amount of waste.
WRAP’s report aims to highlight best practice waste management methods based on a careful review of current practices for plastic waste in the UK along with the end of life plastic waste life cycle assessments.
The report indicates that preventing waste in the first place is the preferred option in all circumstances, with landfill and incineration typically being the least desirable options.
Furthermore, the report offers potential solutions to help move UK plastic waste up the waste hierarchy and overcome the identified challenges.
A second report – the Plastics Waste Hierarchy Life Cycle Assessments – provides further detail about the life cycle assessments used in DEFRA’s Plastic Waste Hierarchy.
Changes to EU legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste – call for expressions of interest in a meeting with the Department for International Trade
Through CBI we have recently learnt that the Department for International Trade (DIT) are considering holding a meeting to better understand how UK companies will be impacted by future changes to EU legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste. Consequently we have been asked to gauge interest in such a meeting from among our members. If such a meeting is likely to interest you please could you contact david.bellamy@fdf.org.uk. Once the meeting is confirmed and more information becomes available we will update the blog.
Have your voice heard on designing the usability of the new packaging EPR system – join Defra’s user research panel
The Department for Environmental Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra) are currently recruiting representatives from business, trade associations, compliances schemes and packaging experts to join a research panel to help shape the IT and communications services that will underpin the implementation of the new packaging EPR system, particularly in relation to data reporting, and to widen understanding of the requirements. This feedback will help Defra make these services easier to use and clearer on the data required. If selected the time commitment required is expected to be around 1 hour every 6 months.
Defra are also keen to recruit to the Panel those smaller businesses (between £1m and less than £2m annual turnover and between 25 and less than 50 million tonnes packaging placed on the market annually) with the new data reporting obligation to help understand how they intend to discharge this obligation (eg through use of compliance schemes), assess level of awareness etc. Defra would like to include in this businesses that may be approaching the lower turnover threshold ie with current turnovers of £750,000 or above. NB To be obligated businesses need to exceed both the turnover and tonnage thresholds.
Follow this link to sign up for the panel: https://defragroup.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_byGvZLurq3CMkGG
Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT): Resources on packaging in scope and liability to register
HMRC have shared with us resources to help businesses prepare for the PPT.
Please review this decision tree to check if your plastic packaging is in scope of the PPT and this guidance to check if you are liable and need to register for the PPT.
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Extended Producer Responsibility
Food and drink manufacturers are keen that the implementation of EPR is as successful as it can be and that the risk of disproportionate cost being passed through to consumers is minimised.
Ambition 2025
Ambition 2025 sets out the FDF's vision for a thriving, responsible and sustainable UK food and drink industry.
Report: Ambition 2025: Progress report 2021
10 March 2022
In 2020, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and our members achieved the target of reducing CO2 emissions set in the Ambition 2025 commitment – five years earlier than planned. In 2021 we set our sights even higher.
Read moreGuidance: Industry narrative on packaging and plastics
07 August 2019
The Industry Narrative sets forth our position on packaging and plastics: it acknowledges their environmental impact, states their functions, identifies factors in choice of materials and in making changes to the packaging system, lists our engagement with stakeholders on the issues, and calls for necessary support from Government.
Read more