The FPA Friday Digest
18 September 2026
There has been no shortage of packaging policy discussion this week, not least at London Packaging Week, where PackUK revealed that it will shortly publish a five-year strategy setting out its roadmap for delivery. With businesses being asked to make investment and packaging decisions years in advance, greater visibility of where the system is heading – and how its success will be measured – will be important.
We also report on a potentially significant acknowledgement from the Treasury that government is aware of concerns surrounding packaging disposed of through commercial waste streams, including pubs. This goes to the heart of a question that matters across foodservice and hospitality: ensuring that pEPR accurately reflects where packaging ends up and who is already paying for its collection and recycling.
Our CEO Ellen Daniels was at London Packaging Week, catching up with FPA members exhibiting at the show and hearing first-hand the conversations taking place across the industry. Alongside regulation, innovation, recyclability and investment were recurring themes – and it was good to see members showcasing the expertise and innovation within our sector.
Elsewhere, British Glass has launched its Back British-made Glass Charter amid concerns about the pressures facing domestic manufacturing. It is another reminder that, as packaging policy evolves, environmental ambition needs to sit alongside competitiveness, investment and the resilience of the UK manufacturing base.
In brief, we look at new research into supermarket fresh-produce packaging and an interesting foodservice study showing how incentives can influence customers’ use of reusable packaging – while also demonstrating that convenience remains a significant factor in consumer behaviour.
And, as ever, there is plenty more from the UK, Europe and further afield in this week’s round-up.
PACKAGING REFORMS UPDATE
PackUK to set out five-year strategy for EPR delivery
PackUK is preparing to publish a five-year strategy setting out its roadmap for delivery, chief strategy officer Esther Carter revealed at London Packaging Week this week.
Speaking during a session on delivering a thriving circular economy, Carter said the forthcoming strategy would set out PackUK’s longer-term direction as the packaging extended producer responsibility regime develops.
The announcement follows confirmation from government earlier this month that the strategy will also detail how environmental benefits from pEPR – including packaging reduction and improvements in the quality and quantity of recycling – will be tracked.
Carter also shared early insights from packaging data reported under the Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM). Event coverage reports that around 20% of packaging currently placed on the UK market falls into the red category, with around one in seven producers placing only red-rated packaging on the market and approximately 10% using exclusively green-rated materials.
FPA comment: “A five-year strategy from PackUK is welcome and should provide industry with greater visibility over how pEPR is expected to develop. For businesses making investment and packaging decisions several years ahead, that longer-term direction is important.
“The FPA meets with PackUK on a monthly basis, providing an important opportunity to raise members’ questions and concerns and to discuss how the scheme is working in practice. We will use that ongoing engagement to understand the assumptions, evidence and measures underpinning the strategy, and how PackUK intends to demonstrate that producer fees are delivering measurable improvements in collection, recycling and packaging outcomes.
“As the scheme develops, transparency around data, costs and performance will remain essential. Producers need to be able to see not only what they are being asked to fund, but what that investment is achieving”.
Pressure grows for whole-system review of DRS
Calls for government to reassess the wider impact of DRS are growing, with local authorities and recycling operators warning that its interaction with other packaging reforms has not been sufficiently evaluated.
The Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC) has written to Defra calling for an urgent reassessment of the financial and operational implications of DRS for councils ahead of its planned introduction in October 2027.
Defra’s 2024 impact assessment estimated that the scheme would save local authorities 69p per household. LARAC argues that this does not adequately account for the loss of valuable PET and aluminium from kerbside collections, potentially higher material recovery facility gate fees, enforcement and litter-management costs or changes to collection contracts. It wants an updated impact assessment using current data, a mechanism to compensate councils for additional costs, formal monitoring during the scheme’s early years and, significantly, a cumulative assessment of DRS alongside pEPR and Simpler Recycling.
The intervention follows a separate call from six independent material recovery facility operators for government to pause implementation and undertake a time-limited 'whole-system review'. The operators, which collectively process more than 900,000 tonnes of kerbside recycling annually, warn that removing valuable drinks containers from existing collection streams could raise processing costs, weaken investment confidence and affect the economics of wider household recycling.
FPA comment: “The growing calls for a whole-system assessment reinforce a point the FPA has consistently made: individual reforms cannot be considered in isolation when they all act on the same packaging, collection and recycling system.
“The objectives behind DRS, pEPR and Simpler Recycling are important, but government also needs to understand how they interact in practice and whether the combined system delivers the intended environmental outcomes efficiently.
“With substantial investment decisions now being made across packaging manufacture, collection and recycling, businesses and local authorities alike need clarity, credible evidence and sufficient certainty to plan. A joined-up assessment of costs, infrastructure and material flows would help provide that confidence".
Treasury acknowledges pEPR concerns over packaging entering commercial waste streams
The Treasury has acknowledged industry concerns over the treatment under pEPR of packaging disposed of through commercial waste streams, including packaging used in pubs.
Responding on 15 September to a parliamentary question about the impact of regulatory and packaging costs on pubs, Treasury minister James Murray said the Government was aware of concerns surrounding the classification of such packaging and was “working closely with stakeholders on this issue”.
The issue has become increasingly contentious because pubs and other hospitality businesses already pay for commercial waste collection, while some packaging supplied into the sector can nevertheless attract pEPR waste disposal fees. It is also at the centre of Fever-Tree’s legal challenge concerning the treatment of bottles supplied to pubs, bars and restaurants.
FPA comment: “It's encouraging to see the Treasury explicitly acknowledge concerns about packaging entering commercial waste streams. The principle is straightforward: pEPR must accurately reflect where packaging is actually disposed of and who bears the cost of managing it.
“Where businesses are already paying commercially for packaging waste to be collected and recycled, the system must guard against costs being allocated in a way that effectively pays for the same waste twice. We welcome government’s engagement with stakeholders and hope this results in a practical and evidence-based resolution”.
Glass sector brings pEPR concerns into industrial-policy debate
The impact of pEPR on the UK glass industry has received renewed national attention amid warnings that the current fee structure could influence packaging-material choices and domestic manufacturing investment.
The Financial Times reports that glass manufacturers remain concerned about the effect of pEPR charges, which reflect the costs associated with managing packaging waste and are strongly influenced by material weight. Industry representatives argue the system places comparatively high costs on glass and risks encouraging some producers to switch to lighter packaging materials. They have also warned about the potential implications for UK manufacturing, particularly in areas where glass production remains an important source of industrial employment.
Government has previously said pEPR costs are based on the costs of managing packaging waste rather than simply material weight, and that Defra and PackUK continue to engage with the glass sector. From 2026/27, fees will also be modulated according to recyclability. The debate creates a wider challenge for government because reducing the burden on one packaging material without reducing overall scheme costs could shift expenditure elsewhere.
FPA comment: “The concerns being raised by the glass sector underline why pEPR needs to be assessed on the basis of evidence and whole-system outcomes rather than looking at individual materials in isolation.
“Government should monitor carefully for unintended consequences, including material switching and impacts on UK manufacturing and investment. At the same time, changes intended to address pressures on one material should not simply transfer disproportionate costs onto another".
IN BRIEF
Incentives significantly increase reusable foodservice packaging uptake
Offering customers rewards for choosing reusable foodservice packaging can significantly change behaviour, according to a new university-based study.
Researchers at Matej Bel University found that a loyalty scheme offering every fifth salad free when reusable packaging was used increased packaging-free purchases from 11.5% to 41% of weekly sales. Overall salad sales remained stable, suggesting the incentive changed customers’ packaging choices rather than increasing consumption, while an estimated 551 single-use plastic containers were avoided.
However, 59% of salads were still sold in disposable packaging and the researchers caution that the study was conducted at a single university cafeteria. They say larger and longer-term studies are needed to establish whether incentives produce lasting behavioural change once rewards are withdrawn.
Welsh hospitality businesses to receive 30% business rates cut
Small and medium-sized hospitality businesses in Wales will see their business rates cut by 30% from April 2027, under measures announced by First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth.
The reduction will apply to businesses with a rateable value below £51,000 and follows the UK Government’s announcement of a 20% business rates cut for hospitality venues in England from the same date.
The Welsh measure will be funded through higher rates for the most valuable commercial properties, potentially including some hotels. The First Minister said the changes were intended to “rebalance the way business rates work” and help hospitality businesses and the communities they serve to thrive.
UKHospitality Cymru had previously called for rates relief, warning that rising costs and the existing business rates system were placing significant pressure on hospitality venues.
Lords question whether £5,000 fly-tipping fines will deter organised waste crime
A House of Lords scrutiny committee has questioned whether new maximum £5,000 fixed penalties for fly-tipping will be sufficient to deter organised waste criminals, warning that serious cases can involve large-scale commercial or organised criminal activity generating substantially greater sums.
The intervention adds to the debate over whether tougher penalties alone will be enough to tackle organised waste crime or whether greater emphasis is also needed on enforcement capacity and use of existing prosecution powers.
English mayors given powers to introduce overnight visitor levy
Mayors and leaders of Foundation Strategic Authorities in England are to be given powers to introduce local levies on overnight accommodation, creating a potential new cost for hotels and the wider hospitality sector.
Government confirmed that any levy will be calculated as a percentage of the cost of accommodation rather than as a flat fee, with revenue available for investment in local transport, high streets, events and the wider visitor economy.
Hospitality businesses have strongly criticised the proposals, arguing that further taxation could affect competitiveness and consumer demand at a time when operators are already facing significant cost pressures.
The decision is relevant to foodservice packaging suppliers because hotels, restaurants and visitor-economy businesses represent an important end market already facing pressure from labour, tax and operating costs.
Read the government announcement
Supermarkets make limited progress on reducing fresh produce packaging
UK supermarkets are making limited progress in reducing packaging around fresh fruit and vegetables, according to a new report from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA).
The EIA estimates that around 13 billion pieces of fruit and vegetable packaging are discarded by UK households each year, with nearly two-thirds made from difficult-to-recycle soft plastics. It says that, despite voluntary commitments to increase the availability of loose produce, progress and transparency vary considerably between retailers.
EIA is calling for mandatory reporting, higher fees for hard-to-recycle plastics and a ban on unnecessary fresh produce packaging by 2030.
ELSEWHERE ...
British Glass launches charter to champion UK manufacturing
British Glass has launched a new ‘Back British-made Glass Charter’, calling on parliamentarians, businesses and other stakeholders to support domestic glass manufacturing and recognise its strategic importance to the UK economy.
The voluntary charter stops short of calling for a formal ‘Buy British’ policy, instead asking supporters to champion fair competition, encourage investment in sustainable UK production and recognise the contribution made by the domestic glass industry.
British Glass says the sector contributes more than £2bn to the UK economy and supports 120,000 jobs, but warns that manufacturers face growing pressures from energy costs, international competition and regulation.
The launch follows the closure of Electric Glass Fibre UK, with the loss of around 250 jobs and the end of UK fibreglass production.
FPA comment: “The launch of the charter adds another industry voice to concerns about the cumulative impact of regulation and other cost pressures on UK manufacturers.
“The FPA has consistently called for packaging policy to be based on robust evidence and whole-system environmental outcomes, while providing the certainty businesses need to invest. Different packaging materials perform different functions and have different environmental impacts, which is why policy must avoid unintended consequences created by looking at individual measures or materials in isolation.
“Maintaining a strong domestic manufacturing base matters for jobs, investment, resilience and the wider UK economy. As packaging reforms develop, it is important that their impact on the competitiveness of businesses manufacturing in the UK remains firmly in view”.
CIWM calls for long-term resources and waste strategy
The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) is calling on government to develop a new long-term resources and waste strategy for England to provide greater certainty for investment through the 2030s.
With the 2018 Resources and Waste Strategy entering its final implementation phase, CIWM says work should begin now on its successor, covering at least the period of the Sixth Carbon Budget from 2033–37 and ideally extending to 2042.
Its new policy briefing argues that long-term certainty could unlock investment in infrastructure, strengthen domestic supply chains and keep more valuable materials circulating within the UK economy.
CIWM wants the next strategy to go beyond recycling and improved collections by placing greater emphasis on reduction, reuse, repair, refurbishment and remanufacturing. It is also calling for stronger domestic markets for recycled materials, increased UK reprocessing capacity and closer links between resource policy, economic resilience, reindustrialisation and skilled employment.
The organisation is additionally calling for clear financial and fiscal measures to support delivery of the Government’s forthcoming Circular Economy Growth Plan.
FPA comment: “Long-term certainty is essential if businesses are to make the investment needed to deliver a genuinely circular economy.
“Packaging producers are already adapting to major changes through pEPR, Simpler Recycling, DRS and PPWR. Government now has an opportunity to set out how those individual measures fit within a coherent long-term strategy covering infrastructure, domestic reprocessing capacity, demand for recycled materials and UK manufacturing.
“Policy needs to create the conditions for investment as well as setting targets. That means realistic timelines, stable regulation and a clear view of the outcomes government expects industry and the waste-management sector to deliver together".
UK set for major increase in cardboard reprocessing capacity
The UK could gain more than 1.4 million tonnes of additional cardboard reprocessing capacity during 2027 as new and converted paper mills come on stream.
Palm is converting its King’s Lynn facility in Norfolk from newsprint production to corrugated case material, providing around 700,000 tonnes of annual capacity.
Eren’s Shotton Mill is expected to add a further 750,000 tonnes, while Essity’s Prudhoe facility is also expected to become an outlet for some recovered cardboard.
The additional capacity could significantly increase the proportion of UK-collected cardboard processed domestically. Around four million tonnes were collected in 2025, but only approximately 1.3 million tonnes were reprocessed in the UK, leaving around 2.7 million tonnes largely exported to markets in Asia and Europe.
The recent closure of Smurfit Westrock’s Birmingham SSK mill removes around 200,000 tonnes of existing annual capacity, meaning the net gain would be around 1.25 million tonnes if no further closures occur.
The investment provides a positive signal for UK recycling infrastructure at a time when policymakers and industry are increasingly focused on building stronger domestic end markets for recovered materials.
EUROPE
EU closes consultation on rules underpinning
PPWR recycled-content targets
The European Commission has completed a consultation on three pieces of secondary legislation that will determine how recycled-plastic requirements under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation operate in practice.
The consultation, which closed on 16 September, covered the methodology for calculating and verifying recycled plastic content in packaging, sustainability criteria for plastic recycling technologies and rules for assessing recycled material originating outside the EU.
Under PPWR, plastic packaging will be required to contain minimum levels of recycled material from 2030, with the percentage varying according to packaging type.
The three implementing and delegated acts are scheduled for adoption during the fourth quarter of 2026. Their final detail will be important not only for EU recyclers and packaging producers, but also for UK businesses supplying recycled polymers or packaged goods into the European market.
View the PPWR consultation tracker
EU states prepare push for safeguards on PET and chemical imports
France and Italy, with Germany also expected to support action, are preparing to ask the European Commission to investigate safeguard measures against rising imports of chemicals and plastics, including PET resin.
Reuters reports the proposed action is being considered amid growing concern over pressure on Europe’s chemical and plastics manufacturing base from high energy costs, weak demand and increasing volumes of lower-cost imports, particularly from China.
FPA comment: “This is still at an early stage and it will be important not to get ahead of a process which has yet to result in a formal investigation, let alone any trade measure.
“However, PET is an important packaging material and any measure affecting European supply or pricing would need to be considered carefully for its effects throughout the value chain. Businesses need competitive and resilient access to materials while Europe also seeks to strengthen domestic manufacturing and increase recycled content.
“The FPA will continue to monitor developments and their potential implications for UK packaging supply chains”.
EU puts aluminium scrap export duty on hold in favour of waste-shipment controls
The European Commission has put plans for a dedicated trade measure on aluminium scrap on hold and says it will instead rely initially on new controls under the EU Waste Shipment Regulation.
A proposed 15% export duty had been under consideration as part of efforts to retain more aluminium scrap within Europe for recycling and provide EU smelters and secondary aluminium producers with greater access to feedstock.
Reuters reports that concerns over the effect of the proposed duty on the EU’s relationship with India – one of the largest destinations for European aluminium scrap – contributed to the decision not to proceed with the measure.
The Commission says it will continue monitoring aluminium scrap trade flows and could consider further action if required.
INTERNATIONAL
Australia maintains existing packaging framework after national scheme deferred
Australia will continue operating through its existing co-regulatory packaging framework after the federal government decided a new Commonwealth packaging scheme will not be introduced during the current parliamentary term.
The proposed reforms had been intended to strengthen national packaging requirements and potentially introduce a more comprehensive Extended Producer Responsibility approach.
In response, the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) has published a new Policy Platform setting out how it believes reform should progress within the current framework.
New Zealand sets March 2027 start for regulated farm-plastics recycling scheme
New Zealand is introducing a regulated nationwide recycling scheme for agrichemical containers and agricultural plastics from 01 March 2027, replacing two existing voluntary programmes.
The Rural Recycling Scheme will combine services currently provided through Agrecovery and Plasback and cover agrichemicals in plastic containers, bale wrap, silage sheet and specified plastic packaging used for agricultural products including seeds, feed and fertiliser.
Producers of regulated products will be required to register with the scheme, report sales volumes and pay regulated fees based on the products they place on the New Zealand market.
The fees will fund a free-to-use network of take-back sites and collection services operated by the not-for-profit Agrecovery Foundation. The existing network of around 240 collection sites is expected to expand as the scheme develops.
Researchers explore AI-enabled packaging that can detect food spoilage
Researchers at Japan’s Kyushu University have developed a framework for a new generation of food packaging capable of sensing food condition, analysing the information using artificial intelligence and potentially responding to signs of deterioration.
The proposed 'future-ready' system brings together intelligent sensors, self-healing materials and AI-driven prediction in an attempt to move packaging beyond its conventional role as a passive protective barrier.
Sensors incorporated into packaging could detect changes in pH, gases and microbial by-products associated with food spoilage. The signals could then be converted into data analysed by AI to provide a more accurate picture of a product’s condition.
The work remains at research stage and the team acknowledges that issues including food-contact safety, stability and industrial-scale quality control require further investigation before commercial adoption.
OTHER NEWS
UK
Restaurant Online: More than 800 hospitality businesses urge government to deliver a VAT cut for the sector. Read more here
letsrecycle.com: Waste-sector skills shortage is as much a marketing challenge as a recruitment problem, argues industry commentary. Read more here
RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY
Eco-Plastics in Packaging: Greyparrot launches live OEE tracking for recycling facilities. Read more here
TIME: New research finds major safety-data gaps across thousands of chemicals used in food-contact materials. Read more here
FoodNavigator: Food supply chains face growing pressure from ten climate-related bottlenecks spanning farm to fork. Read more here
EUROPE
PETplanet: New study identifies a major shortfall in European PET tray recycling capacity ahead of PPWR’s 2035 recycling-at-scale requirements. Read more here
Packaging Europe: Updated EU guidance confirms that sealed aluminium foil lids and certain aluminium caps are excluded from Single-Use Plastics Directive tethering requirements. Read more here
Packaging Insights: Incentive scheme increases consumers’ use of reusable foodservice packaging in a Slovak university cafeteria study. Read more here
Tagesspiegel: Potsdam confirms its new tax on single-use food and drink packaging will go ahead from 1 October despite opposition from local businesses. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Eco-Plastics in Packaging: Australian government drops plans for mandatory national packaging standards this term. Read more here
Packaging Dive: New Jersey delays recycled-content requirements for food-contact packaging until 2030 amid disagreement over technological readiness. Read more here
Resource Recycling: Analysis asks how packaging EPR systems should accommodate compostable packaging and expanding food-waste depackaging. Read more here
Packaging Dive: US courts and policymakers assess how recent legal challenges could shape the next generation of packaging EPR laws. Read more here
FPA NEWS & EVENTS
FPA in the news
The Grocer: Clampdown ropes 1,800 new companies into paying EPR packaging tax
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.
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
FPA at London Packaging Week
The FPA was at London Packaging Week this week, with FPA CEO Ellen Daniels joining the packaging community at ExCeL London for discussion, networking and insight into the issues shaping the sector.
The event provided a valuable opportunity to catch up with FPA members exhibiting at the show, meet other industry stakeholders and hear first-hand some of the conversations taking place around packaging innovation, sustainability and the rapidly evolving regulatory landscape.
“It was great to meet up with FPA members exhibiting at London Packaging Week,” said Ellen.
“Unsurprisingly, EPR and the wider programme of packaging reforms featured heavily in conversations, alongside innovation, recyclability and the need for businesses to have greater certainty as they plan and invest.
“It was also useful to hear directly from PackUK about the next stages of EPR and its plans for a five-year strategy. We will be following those developments closely and continuing to make sure the experiences and priorities of FPA members are represented as the system evolves.
“Thank you to everyone who took the time to catch up with me – and congratulations to all our members exhibiting and showcasing the innovation taking place across our sector”.
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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