The FPA Friday Digest
11 September 2026
Packaging policy again dominates this week’s Digest, with fresh scrutiny of both the cost of the current regime and the way its different elements are working together in practice.
With plastic PRN prices reaching record levels, Defra is considering possible measures to ease pressure in the market. At the same time, analysis in The Grocer asks whether the growing combination of pEPR, PRNs, Plastic Packaging Tax and the forthcoming Deposit Return Scheme has become unnecessarily complex and whether a more joined-up approach is now needed. The debate comes as food manufacturers warn that rising regulatory costs risk feeding through into further inflationary pressure.
We also look at how PackUK is approaching foodservice and other packaging that may enter either household or commercial waste streams, and at the government’s assertion in Parliament that applying pEPR equally to imported and UK-manufactured products creates a level playing field. Elsewhere, Northern Ireland has introduced a temporary enforcement easement for two pEPR data requirements, alongside similar regulatory flexibility elsewhere in the UK.
There are further signs that implementation remains a work in progress. Defra has now fixed the software fault that prevented packaging waste exporters from beginning their 2027 accreditation applications through the RREPW service, while Packaging News examines pEPR “in action”, with English local authorities expected to receive around £1bn through the scheme and the FPA among those contributing industry perspective.
Beyond packaging reform, a National Audit Office report calls for much greater involvement of industry in planning for future disruption to the UK food supply chain – an area in which packaging manufacturers and distributors have an essential role. In Europe, Germany is proposing a PPWR exemption for smaller cross-border packaging volumes, while developments in France, Monaco and the Netherlands underline the very different approaches being taken to deposits, single-use packaging and reuse.
Internationally, new research suggests global plastic waste generation continues to outpace the capacity of waste-management systems, while legal and regulatory developments in the US continue to shape the direction of producer responsibility and recycled-content policy.
As ever, you’ll find these stories alongside our wider UK, European and international round-up, links to further industry news and research and technology storys, and updates on forthcoming events – including the FPA's annual Environment Seminar, which is now open for bookings. Spaces are limited and if you're quick you can take advantage of the early bird prices.
PACKAGING REFORMS UPDATE
Defra considers PRN mitigation as plastic prices reach record levels
Defra is reported to be considering measures to protect producers and compliance schemes from enforcement action as record PRN prices and continuing disruption to the new packaging-waste reporting service increase concerns over 2026 compliance.
On 07 September Defra agreed mitigation would be needed for businesses at risk of failing to meet their recycling obligations. While the details have yet to be confirmed, one option under consideration would see enforcement action withheld where producers or compliance schemes achieve a specified proportion of their obligation, with the threshold varying by material.
A corresponding Regulatory Position Statement is not expected before late September, with plastics, wood and potentially steel understood to be among the materials most at risk.
Plastic PRNs are currently trading at record levels of £650 per tonne and above. The pressure has been compounded by problems surrounding the introduction of the Record Reprocessed and Exported Packaging Waste service, including delays to its launch, changes affecting when PERNs can be issued and, as reported above, a software fault that prevented exporters from starting accreditation applications.
Defra has not indicated that it is considering abandoning the PRN system.
FPA comment: “Businesses should not be left facing disproportionate costs or the risk of enforcement where compliance has been made more difficult by delays and technical problems.
“If mitigation is required, it needs to be introduced quickly, communicated clearly and designed so that it doesn't simply defer today’s problems into the next compliance year.
“The immediate priority must be stabilising the evidence market, but the current situation also strengthens the case for looking at PRNs, pEPR and the wider packaging policy framework as a whole. Producers need a system that delivers environmental outcomes while also providing sufficient transparency, predictability and confidence to plan and invest”.
Calls grow for rethink of UK's overlapping packaging regime
Pressure is growing on government to review whether the UK's various packaging policies are working together effectively, as businesses face the combined impact of pEPR, Packaging Recovery Notes, Plastic Packaging Tax and the forthcoming Deposit Return Scheme.
An analysis by The Grocer highlights increasing concern across the food, drink and retail sectors about the cumulative cost and complexity of what the Food and Drink Federation describes as an 'alphabet soup' of packaging policies.
The British Retail Consortium says retailers' plastic PRN costs have doubled over the past year, from an average of around £180 per tonne in 2025 to more than £370 in 2026. It estimates that this will add more than £100m to the sector's plastic PRN bill and is calling for the PRN system to be phased out and incorporated into pEPR.
The FDF is also calling for simplification, while Carlsberg Britvic argues that the current framework comprises multiple overlapping measures that are not all delivering effectively and has called for a holistic review leading to a more integrated system.
The debate extends beyond PRNs. Recent HMRC figures have prompted renewed questions over the effectiveness of Plastic Packaging Tax, with 37% of declared plastic packaging in 2025/26 still failing to meet the 30% recycled-content threshold. At the same time, the introduction of pEPR and preparations for DRS are adding further layers of cost, reporting and operational change.
However, while retailers and food and drink manufacturers are calling for simplification, parts of the recycling sector argue that Plastic Packaging Tax should be strengthened rather than reduced. Biffa has previously called for a higher recycled-content threshold, while Reconomy has also argued for a more ambitious tax framework to stimulate demand for recycled plastics.
With government already considering short-term intervention in the PRN market and further consultation expected on packaging recycling obligations, the wider question is increasingly whether individual policies should continue to be treated separately, or whether the UK's packaging framework now needs a more fundamental review to ensure the different measures are coherent, proportionate and collectively delivering their intended environmental outcomes.
FPA comment: “The issue is not whether packaging should contribute to better environmental outcomes – it should – but whether the current combination of policies is delivering those outcomes in the most effective and proportionate way.
“Businesses are increasingly managing several overlapping regimes, each with its own costs, reporting requirements and incentives. Government should now look at the system as a whole and test whether those measures complement one another, where there is duplication and whether the cumulative burden is producing the environmental improvements intended.
“A more joined-up approach would provide greater certainty for investment while ensuring that environmental policy remains ambitious, evidence-based and workable in practice".
PackUK discusses treatment of foodservice and dual-use packaging
The treatment of foodservice packaging under pEPR was among the issues raised during a meeting between the Provision Trade Federation (PTF), its members and PackUK on the practical implementation of packaging EPR.
Of particular relevance to the foodservice packaging sector was packaging capable of entering either household or commercial waste streams. PackUK indicated that where the supply chain cannot provide sufficient evidence that packaging is managed through a non-household route, it may default to household EPR.
Potential mechanisms for demonstrating alternative waste management routes discussed at the meeting included take-back schemes, self-managed consumer waste and closed-loop recycling arrangements.
PackUK said it is working with stakeholders and the Producer Responsibility Organisation to develop clearer and more standardised pathways for businesses wishing to establish producer-led waste-management or take-back arrangements. Further information is also expected on foodservice packaging separation arrangements.
The discussion underlines the importance of the household/non-household distinction for foodservice packaging. Products supplied into hospitality, catering and food-to-go channels can have very different end-of-life routes, and the ability to demonstrate where packaging is ultimately discarded can have a direct bearing on whether household EPR disposal fees apply.
The meeting also covered EPR thresholds, compliance and free-riding, the interaction between EPR and DRS and the treatment of unused impairment provisions.
FPA comment: “Producers have consistently called for greater certainty over EPR costs, so the intention to provide fee information earlier and reduce the prospect of changes during the year is welcome. The detail will matter, particularly if future data resubmission deadlines are brought forward, and businesses will need sufficient notice of any change. We also welcome the intention to make future RAM updates more open and accessible and the recognition of the UK Packaging PRO's role in that process”.
Government says pEPR provides level playing field for UK packaging producers
The government says applying packaging EPR equally to imported and domestically manufactured products should help protect UK packaging producers from competition from less environmentally sustainable alternatives.
Responding to a parliamentary question from Dr Ellie Chowns MP, Business Minister Blair McDougall said pEPR and its associated fees apply to products regardless of whether they are imported or manufactured in the UK, helping to create a level playing field while encouraging packaging that is easier to recycle.
Government guidance places obligations on relevant importers and, in certain circumstances, the first UK owner of imported packaging. UK-based online marketplaces can also be responsible for packaging sold into the UK by overseas suppliers.
The minister added that the UK uses its free trade agreements to promote resource efficiency and circular-economy objectives, including cooperation on environmentally sustainable product design and packaging information.
The answer follows continuing industry concerns about the competitiveness of UK manufacturing as domestic businesses face increasing environmental compliance costs.
FPA comment: “We welcome the government's recognition that UK packaging manufacturers must be able to compete on a level playing field. Applying the same requirements to imported and domestically produced packaging is an important principle, but legislation alone does not guarantee that outcome.
“A genuinely level playing field also depends on ensuring every business with an obligation is identified, registered and subject to effective enforcement, including where packaging enters the UK through importers, first UK owners or online marketplaces.
“UK manufacturers investing in more recyclable packaging and meeting the costs of environmental regulation should not find themselves commercially disadvantaged against products entering the market without equivalent compliance. Enforcement and transparency must sit alongside good regulatory design”.
Northern Ireland joins pEPR reporting enforcement easement
Northern Ireland's Environment Agency has introduced a temporary enforcement easement covering two of the packaging EPR data requirements imposed on producers.
The Regulatory Position Statement published on 03 September says NIEA will not take enforcement action for a limited period where obligated producers fail to submit nation-of-sale data or self-managed organisational waste data. It applies only to these specific requirements and does not remove the underlying legal obligations.
The move follows similar action elsewhere in the UK. In England, the Environment Agency updated its Regulatory Position Statement on 25 August to delay enforcement of nation data and self-managed organisational waste data collection until 01 January 2028, with subsequent reporting deadlines in 2028 and 2029. The EA says these data requirements currently have no bearing on producer disposal fees or recycling obligations. Natural Resources Wales has also issued an enforcement position covering 2026 and 2027 nation-of-sale and self-managed organisational waste data.
FPA comment: “The decision to take a pragmatic approach to data not currently being used to determine producer disposal fees or recycling obligations is welcome. Every additional reporting requirement carries a cost for businesses, so data should be collected where there is a clear purpose and it can genuinely improve the operation of the system. It's equally important that producers operating across different parts of the UK are not confronted with unnecessarily different requirements. Greater consistency between regulators will make compliance simpler while still allowing the information to be collected when it is genuinely needed”.
Defra fixes software bug blocking exporter accreditation applications
Defra has fixed the software fault that prevented packaging waste exporters from starting applications for 2027 accreditation through the Record Reprocessed and Exported Packaging Waste service (RREPW).
The reapplication function went live on 1 September, but exporters subsequently encountered an error which prevented them from accessing the application process. Defra identified the cause as a failure by the service to retrieve postcode data needed to allocate applications to the correct regulator. The problem affected exporters across all four UK administrations.
Defra released a fix on 10 September and has advised accredited exporters to log back into the service, navigate to the relevant material accreditation homepage and access the reapplication process through the link provided. Anyone continuing to experience problems has been asked to contact the department's EPR customer service team.
The fix came a day later than Defra's original expectation that the problem would be resolved by 09 September. The incident follows earlier delays affecting the RREPW service, which replaced the National Packaging Waste Database for reprocessors and exporters.
FPA comment: “The incident reinforces the importance of ensuring mandatory digital systems are sufficiently robust before key compliance functions go live. Businesses should not be disadvantaged by delays or technical failures outside their control, and we would expect appropriate flexibility where any exporter has been affected by the interruption”.
IN BRIEF
Confirmed Year Two EPR fees due by end of November
PackUK intends to publish confirmed Year Two pEPR fees and issue Notices of Liability to liable producers by the end of November 2026, Defra minister Emma Hardy has confirmed in response to a parliamentary question from Gavin Robinson MP.
The timetable follows the 01 September deadline for corrections to producers' 2025 packaging data, which will now be used to calculate the confirmed 2026/27 fees. PackUK's December 2025 figures were illustrative only.
The answer provides producers with a firmer timetable for when their final Year Two liabilities should become known. PackUK has previously said it does not intend to publish another set of illustrative fees before the confirmed figures are released.
Government points to EPR fee discounts for recyclable glass
More recyclable glass packaging should benefit from discounted pEPR disposal fees when fee modulation begins in 2026/27, Environment Minister Emma Hardy has told Parliament.
Responding to Alan Gemmell MP, who asked about the impact of EPR on the glass sector, the minister said Defra continues to engage with glass manufacturers and will monitor implementation alongside PackUK and the devolved governments.
Under the Year Two modulation system, packaging assessed as RAM Green receives a discount, while Red-rated packaging attracts a higher fee.
Exchange for Change launches monthly
DRS retailer readiness check
Exchange for Change has launched a monthly survey to track how prepared retailers are for the UK's Deposit Return Scheme ahead of its October 2027 launch.
The anonymous survey asks retailers how ready they feel, what preparations they have already made and where they need further information or support. Exchange for Change says it will monitor responses each month and use the findings to shape its guidance and communications with the sector. The survey takes around two to five minutes to complete.
The initiative forms part of the DMO's wider retailer engagement programme as preparations move increasingly from scheme design towards practical implementation.
ELSEWHERE ...
Food manufacturers warn regulatory costs could add to inflation pressures
The Food and Drink Federation has warned that rising energy, commodity and regulatory costs are putting renewed pressure on food prices, as its latest forecast predicts food and non-alcoholic drink inflation will reach 3.9% by December before peaking at 6.4% in July 2027.
The FDF says geopolitical disruption, extreme weather and higher energy costs are combining with an increasingly complex regulatory burden at a time when manufacturers have limited capacity to absorb further increases.
It estimates that five government measures added around £2bn to food and drink manufacturing costs in 2025. These include pEPR and the PPT alongside changes to employer National Insurance contributions, the Soft Drinks Industry Levy and new advertising restrictions.
Speaking to ITV News, FDF chief executive Karen Betts identified packaging and recycling reforms as a significant source of inflationary pressure and called for government to rationalise the regulatory framework and make its implementation more coherent.
The warning comes amid wider industry concern over escalating PRN costs and the cumulative impact of pEPR, PPT and other policy measures on manufacturers and their customers.
FPA comment: The findings reinforce the need for packaging policy to be considered alongside government's objectives for food security, growth and the cost of living.
“Packaging regulation cannot be developed in isolation from the products and supply chains it supports. Food packaging plays an essential role in protecting products, extending shelf life, ensuring food safety and reducing waste.
“Industry accepts its responsibility to support better environmental outcomes, but the individual elements of packaging policy must work together and the cumulative cost must be understood.
“With businesses facing pEPR, PRNs, PPT, DRS preparations and wider operating-cost pressures, government has an opportunity to ensure these policies are joined up, evidence-based and implemented at a pace that supports rather than constrains investment in UK manufacturing.
“That doesn't mean stepping back from environmental ambition. It means ensuring the system delivers the intended environmental benefits without unnecessary cost, duplication or unintended consequences for food prices and supply-chain resilience”.
NAO calls for greater industry involvement in food supply resilience planning
Defra needs to work more closely with industry to ensure the UK's food supply chain can withstand increasingly severe disruption from extreme weather, cyber-attacks, energy failures and disease outbreaks, according to a new National Audit Office report.
Food is one of the UK's 13 Critical National Infrastructure sectors and the NAO describes its supply chain – spanning agriculture, manufacturing, storage and distribution, wholesale, retail and catering – as highly interconnected. Businesses have largely succeeded in keeping food moving through recent shocks – including the Covid-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine, generally without significant government intervention. However, Defra believes future disruption could be more severe and greater government involvement may consequently be required.
The NAO acknowledges Defra has increased its preparedness, including expanding its Food Supply Chain Resilience team and devoting greater attention to catastrophic events. But it concludes the department has not done enough recently to engage businesses and other stakeholders in planning for future disruption.
Food supply businesses told the NAO Defra's engagement had been stronger during the pandemic but had subsequently reduced. Industry also had limited involvement in developing Defra's food-supply disruption 'playbook', while national scenario exercises have largely excluded food supply chain businesses. The NAO warns this creates a risk that emergency plans have not been sufficiently tested against how the supply chain operates in practice.
The watchdog also highlights concerns over coordination across government. Defra said in 2025 it had very little confidence that cross-government resilience work was sufficiently joined-up, while the department may not currently have all of the legal powers it would need to direct businesses during a catastrophic food-supply emergency.
Among its recommendations, the NAO calls on Defra to refresh its engagement with food supply businesses, test response plans with industry and local government, examine resilience approaches used in other countries and Critical National Infrastructure sectors, and review whether additional emergency powers may be required.
FPA comment: “The food supply chain cannot function without the packaging needed to contain, protect, preserve, transport and serve food safely. That means packaging manufacturers and distributors need to be recognised as part of the infrastructure on which food-supply resilience depends, rather than regarded as peripheral suppliers.
“The experience of Covid demonstrated how quickly demand patterns and supply chains can change and how effectively industry can respond when government and businesses work closely together. The NAO is right to call for industry to be much more closely involved in future resilience planning and exercises.
“Any meaningful assessment of food security must look across the whole supply chain, including access to packaging materials, manufacturing capacity, energy, transport and warehousing. We would welcome continued engagement with Defra to ensure the practical knowledge and capabilities of the foodservice packaging sector form part of that planning”.
EUROPE
Germany proposes PPWR exemption for smaller cross-border packaging volumes
Germany is calling for changes to the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation to reduce the administrative burden on smaller businesses selling into other European markets.
A German government discussion paper circulated to EU delegations proposes exempting companies placing relatively small volumes of packaging on another country's market from the requirement to appoint an authorised representative.
The proposed exemption would apply below a threshold of 10 tonnes of packaging per calendar year. Germany is also calling for a one-stop-shop system to simplify the appointment of authorised representatives.
Under PPWR, businesses selling packaged goods across borders can be required to appoint an authorised representative to meet Extended Producer Responsibility obligations in individual member states. Germany argues that, for businesses supplying only small quantities, the cost of appointing a representative can exceed the value of the goods being sold.
Berlin is urging EU governments to reopen negotiations so changes can be agreed before the requirements become an unnecessary barrier to smaller cross-border businesses.
The proposal has not been adopted and businesses should continue preparing on the basis of the current PPWR requirements. For UK businesses exporting into the EU, the intervention is another indication that policymakers are recognising some of the practical difficulties associated with implementing PPWR, particularly for SMEs operating across multiple European markets.
Read the Euractiv report here
McDonald's ordered to switch dine-in customers to reusable cups in Netherlands
McDonald's Netherlands must move to reusable cups for customers consuming drinks on its premises by 05 January 2027 after the country's Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate found the business had breached rules governing single-use cups.
Following inspections at 32 restaurants, regulator ILT concluded that McDonald's had not complied with the requirements since 2024. It has imposed an enforcement order carrying penalties of €625,000 per breach, up to a maximum of €3.75m, if the company does not complete the agreed transition.
Dutch hospitality businesses can use single-use cups for consumption on premises only where specified collection and recycling requirements are met. McDonald's has instead agreed to adopt reusable cups for dine-in customers.
The company has questioned whether the rules produce the intended environmental result in fast-service restaurants, where customers frequently move between dine-in and takeaway. It argues that reusable systems with low return rates can potentially increase plastic use and greenhouse-gas emissions.
France steps back from mandatory national bottle DRS
France has decided not to introduce a mandatory national deposit return scheme for plastic bottles at this stage, following a three-month consultation with municipalities, packaging businesses and recyclers.
Instead, the French government is encouraging towns and cities to develop voluntary schemes. Concerns raised during the debate have included the potential loss of valuable plastic and aluminium material from established municipal collection systems, the cost of new infrastructure and practical difficulties accommodating return points.
The decision does not remove France's obligations under the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. PPWR requires Member States to establish DRS for qualifying plastic bottles and metal drinks containers by 01 January 2029 unless they meet the exemption conditions. To qualify, a Member State must have separately collected at least 80% of the relevant packaging in 2026 and, by 01 January 2028, submit an implementation plan demonstrating how it will achieve the 90% collection target.
France will therefore need either to demonstrate that it meets the exemption route or take further measures as the 2029 deadline approaches.
Mondelēz replaces PET biscuit trays with paper across Europe
Mondelēz International has replaced rigid PET trays with FSC-certified paper across more than 115 biscuit products in 25 European markets, including the UK.
The change covers eight brands and approximately 28,000 tonnes of biscuits produced annually – removing around 2,200 tonnes of virgin plastic each year, representing a circa 80% reduction compared with the previous plastic trays.
FPA comment: "This is an example of the packaging redesign taking place among major food manufacturers as businesses respond to recyclability requirements, packaging reduction targets and changing regulatory expectations. As ever with material substitution, the environmental outcome depends on the complete packaging system rather than material choice alone, but the project illustrates the extent to which major brands are now reassessing established pack formats".
Monaco bans plastic containers for ready-to-eat food
New restrictions on disposable plastic foodservice packaging have entered into force in Monaco, covering boxes, trays, meal trays and salad bowls used for certain ready-to-eat foods.
From 01 September, the prohibition applies to food intended to be eaten on-site or taken away where it is ready to consume without further preparation and either packed at the point of sale or has a use-by date of no more than three days.
The legislation contains several important exemptions. Lids and closures are outside the ban, while PE, PLA or equivalent coatings can continue to be used where they provide a functional layer. Packaging for fresh, cut and unprocessed fruit can also be retained where needed to protect freshness or food safety or to prevent food waste.
INTERNATIONAL
Plastic waste generation continues to outpace global management capacity
Almost 72 million tonnes of plastic waste is expected to be mismanaged worldwide during 2026, despite gradual improvements in waste-management performance, according to new analysis from Earth Action.
The organisation's annual Plastic Overshoot Day fell on 6 September – the point at which its modelling calculates that the amount of plastic waste generated globally exceeds the capacity of existing systems to manage it properly.
Earth Action estimates that the world will generate almost 227 million tonnes of plastic waste this year, up from 202 million tonnes in 2021. Around 31.6% is expected to be mismanaged, leaving it at risk of entering soils, rivers and oceans. While the proportion of waste being mismanaged has fallen over the past five years, the absolute amount has risen from around 69 million tonnes in 2021 to almost 72 million tonnes as total plastic waste generation has continued to grow.
Twelve countries are estimated to account for close to 60% of global mismanaged plastic waste, with China, India, Russia, Brazil and Mexico making up the five largest contributors.
The research also contains UK-specific estimates. Earth Action projects that the UK will mismanage more than 317,000 tonnes of plastic waste during 2026 while exporting more than 516,000 tonnes. Its modelling also estimates that more than 46,000 tonnes of microplastics and 1,368 tonnes of chemical additives could enter UK waterways.
California moves to tighten rules around
recycled-content claims
Legislation that would impose tougher requirements on recycled-content claims has reached California Governor Gavin Newsom after passing both houses of the state legislature.
AB 2253 would, from 2030, require recycled-content claims across products to reflect material actually attributed to production using specified accounting methodologies. The permitted approaches include identity-preserved and segregated models, controlled blending, rolling-average calculations and proportional attribution.
The proposal has been backed by environmental organisations but opposed by packaging, food, beverage and retail groups. Industry opponents argue that the legislation is too restrictive towards mass-balance accounting, which can be necessary where recycled and virgin feedstocks become physically mixed during production.
The bill passed the California Senate 28-10 and Assembly 42-20. Governor Newsom has until 30 September to sign or veto it.
Although a Californian measure, the debate is relevant internationally as regulators increasingly consider how businesses should substantiate recycled-content claims and whether mass-balance or attribution methods provide sufficiently robust evidence.
OTHER NEWS
UK
The Grocer: Defra launches new industry forum to safeguard supermarket soft-plastic collections following the delay to mandatory kerbside collections. Read more here
The Caterer: Hospitality spending shows signs of recovery, with August card spending rising across restaurants, cafés, pubs and bars. Read more here
letsrecycle.com: Bristol begins rolling out larger recycling containers to 175,000 households as it changes its kerbside collection system. Read more here
The Grocer: Food Standards Agency rethinks plans for a one-size-fits-all overhaul of food-safety regulation after concluding the supermarket model may not transfer effectively to restaurants, takeaways and manufacturers. Read more here
Circular Online: New research estimates the UK will mismanage more than 317,000 tonnes of plastic waste during 2026 as global Plastic Overshoot Day passes. Read more here
The Grocer: Convenience-sector investment stalls as inflation and rising operating costs outpace sales growth. Read more here
RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY
Chemical & Engineering News: Report flags thousands of food packaging chemicals for replacement. Read more here
Packaging Europe: Self-cooling can chills drinks at the push of a button and remains recyclable. Read more here
Packaging Europe: EU-funded project recycles mixed plastic waste into 'virgin-quality' PLA. Read more here
Waste Dive: Rumpke and PureCycle discuss polypropylene PCR partnerships and food-contact applications. Read more here
EUROPE
Packaging Europe: Study finds European consumers actively separate packaging components for recycling. Read more here
Packaging Europe: Coveris develops mono-material sleeve using around 30% less material for Dr Beckmann. Read more here
Packaging Europe: Bubble tea brand adopts Greiner Packaging's separable cup and cardboard sleeve. Read more here
Packaging Europe: RCS Group begins construction of new German plastics recycling centre. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Packaging Dive: Federal judge upholds Oregon’s packaging EPR law following constitutional challenge. Read more here
Plastic Pollution Coalition: Outside Lands festival targets its highest-ever waste diversion rate with measures to reduce single-use packaging. Read more here
FPA NEWS & EVENTS
FPA in the news
Packaging News: EPR in action | English local authorities expected to receive £1bn
Tickets now on sale for the 2026 FPA Environment Seminar
Taking place on Thursday November 05 at Stationers' Hall, City of London, this year’s programme brings together policy-makers, regulators, sustainability experts and industry leaders to examine the issues shaping the future of foodservice packaging – from EPR and the changing regulatory landscape to sustainable design, AI, life cycle analysis, consumer confidence and compliance.
Sessions will explore what the first year of EPR has taught us and what comes next; how industry, government and regulators can work together to build better regulation; how manufacturers can respond to evolving UK and European legislation; and how emerging technologies can support better environmental decision-making.
The programme also looks further ahead, with the next generation’s perspective on sustainable packaging and product design, alongside practical discussion of how businesses and regulators can strengthen compliance and enforcement.
Speakers and contributors currently include representatives from PackUK, SUEZ, the National Physical Laboratory, Carbon Trust, Greyparrot, the LCA Centre, the Vegetarian Society, CMA, Packaging Federation and INCPEN, with further announcements to follow.
Early Bird prices – available until 14 September
FPA members £150, non-members £250.
After 14 September, prices rise to £175 for members and £295 for non-members.
Confidential input requested
Businesses with concerns about how pEPR is operating in practice – including issues relating to scope, competition, enforcement or unintended consequences, are invited to share their experiences in confidence with the FPA. We also welcome intelligence on potential gaps in scope, market distortions or suspected avoidance behaviours, which can be shared in confidence.
This insight is invaluable in ensuring industry concerns are effectively represented in our ongoing engagement with Defra, PackUK and the Environment Agency.
Please contact the compliance team directly via compliance@foodservicepackaging.org.uk. All information will be handled sensitively and used to inform our evidence base and policy discussions.
EXTERNAL EVENTS & PARTNER NEWS
PackUK to deliver EPR updates at London Packaging Week
PackUK and UK Packaging PRO will deliver two dedicated sessions on the latest developments in packaging EPR at London Packaging Week, 16–17 September at ExCeL London.
On Wednesday 16 September, PackUK chief strategy officer Esther Carter will present Next steps for industry in the evolution of EPR, covering progress to date and the roadmap ahead.
The following day, PackUK head of communications and engagement Jane Martin will be joined by UK Packaging PRO COO Karen Graley for The industry voices leading the future of EPR, looking at how the scheme is developing and what producers and the wider packaging supply chain can expect over the next 12–18 months.
The sessions form part of a wider conference programme featuring more than 90 speakers across three stages.
Registration is free and includes access to the exhibition and the conference programme.
Useful links:
ECGT webinar: Are your sustainability communications ready?
A practical webinar on the ECGT Directive and what it means for businesses will take place on 15 September, 09:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Experts from the Carbon Trust, Bureau Veritas and Pinsent Masons will examine the latest requirements, common areas of concern and how organisations are preparing for the changes ahead, with a particular focus on the implications for sustainability communications.
The session is aimed at helping businesses understand what the Directive means in practice and where they may need to review their current approach.
Register to attend the webinar
Defra Circular Economy stakeholder forums
resume in September
Defra's Circular Economy Joint Stakeholder Forums return on 01 September following the summer break, providing businesses and other stakeholders with regular updates on packaging, waste and wider circular economy reforms.
The online forums provide updates from Defra's Circular Economy Directorate, PackUK, the Environment Agency and other relevant bodies, and give stakeholders an opportunity to hear about policy and operational developments and put questions to officials. Recent sessions have covered pEPR, PRN/PERN reform, RAM, PPWR, Digital Waste Tracking and local authority payments.
The link is different each month, so it is important to use the correct link for each session. Microsoft Teams will then send a calendar invite automatically for the date you have registered.
Upcoming forums:
Tuesday 06 October
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Register for 06 October session
Tuesday 03 November
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Register for 03 November session
Tuesday 01 December
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Register for 01 December session
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