The FPA Friday Digest
25 September 2026
Today we say a very fond farewell and thank you to Adrian Pratt of Benders Cups, who retires today after a long and distinguished career in the packaging industry.
Adrian has also given many years of invaluable service to the FPA as chair of our Sustainability and Government Affairs (SAGA) Committee.
During a period of extraordinary regulatory and environmental change, his knowledge, experience and judgment have been instrumental in helping the association understand emerging policy, shape its positions and keep members informed.
Those who have worked with Adrian will know just how deep his knowledge of our industry runs – and how generously he has always shared it. His contribution to the FPA has been considerable, and we are enormously grateful for the time, commitment and expertise he has given to the association and its members.
We wish Adrian every happiness in his retirement and thank him sincerely for everything he has done for the FPA and the sector in general.
In this week's Digest ...
We lead this week with the first clear indication of how RAM could affect different packaging formats, with newly published data showing that almost 62% of flexible plastic tonnage assessed for 2025 received a red rating. We also report that government considered a further delay to the Deposit Return Scheme amid concerns over costs to supermarkets, while ministers say they are looking for solutions to pressures facing the glass sector under pEPR. A Welsh flexibles trial provides further evidence of the challenge ahead, achieving encouraging recycling quality but much lower capture rates.
Elsewhere, infrastructure and real-world performance are recurring themes. New UK trials will test how compostable and bio-based packaging behaves in operational MRFs; CIWM research warns policy uncertainty is holding back investment in circular-economy infrastructure; and a depositand app-free reusable cup scheme in Bristol will test whether removing barriers can improve consumer participation.
In Europe, we look at the increasingly different recyclability requirements facing businesses trading across the UK and EU, the continuing debate over the administrative burden of PPWR, and new Italian rules affecting compostable foodservice and condiment packaging. Internationally, Singapore provides an early DRS comparator, California’s packaging EPR implementation continues to evolve and US research examines how recycling infrastructure is responding to changing packaging formats.
Plus, there is our usual smorgasbord of industry, research and technology news.
PACKAGING REFORMS UPDATE
FPFAS and RAM 2027: FPA seeks clarity on threshold and evidence requirements
The FPA has raised major concerns about the treatment of PFAS within the Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) for 2027, particularly around how the requirements will work in practice for foodservice packaging.
Under RAM 2027, food packaging containing more than 25 parts per billion (ppb) of any individual or total PFAS must automatically receive a red rating. By comparison, the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) sets limits of 25 ppb for an individual targeted PFAS and 250 ppb for the sum of targeted PFAS, alongside a separate 50 ppm limit covering PFAS including polymeric PFAS.
For producers, an important consideration will be how compliance with the RAM threshold can be demonstrated in practice. Supplier declarations, technical specifications, test reports and other supply-chain information may all have a role, but greater clarity is needed over what evidence will be accepted and how the requirements will be applied consistently.
There is also a broader question over whether chemical and food-contact compliance criteria should determine a recyclability rating where packaging may otherwise be capable of being collected, sorted and successfully reprocessed.
On behalf of members the FPA is raising these issues through its regular engagement with PackUK and is seeking further clarity on both the scientific and evidential basis for the threshold and its practical implementation.
FPA comment: “The treatment of PFAS is a key issue for members and we fully support robust requirements to ensure food-contact packaging is safe and compliant. At the same time, businesses need requirements that are clear, evidence-based and workable in practice.
“Where packaging may be capable of being collected, sorted and successfully reprocessed but could receive a red rating because of a chemical threshold, producers need to understand the basis for that threshold and what evidence they will need to demonstrate compliance.
“There is also a legitimate question about the role of chemical-content criteria within a methodology designed to assess recyclability. We will continue working constructively with PackUK to seek clarity on these issues and ensure the practical implications for foodservice packaging are properly understood”.
Almost two-thirds of flexible plastic packaging
receives red RAM rating
Almost 62% of flexible plastic packaging tonnage reported under the Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) for 2025 received a red rating, according to newly published Environment Agency data
Analysis of the figures shows around 244,900 tonnes of flexible plastic were reported as red-rated out of approximately 396,600 tonnes assessed. By comparison, 25.8% of rigid plastic received a red rating. Across all packaging materials covered by the RAM returns, around 846,900 tonnes – 17.5% of the total – were classified red.
The ratings will affect pEPR household packaging waste disposal fees for 2026/27, with red-rated packaging attracting a 20% uplift against the amber rate. Green-rated packaging will receive a corresponding discount.
Defra has also clarified how flexible packaging will be treated under the methodology. It told Food Manufacture that flexible plastics, including food-contact films, are not currently collected at kerbside or sorted and reprocessed at scale through household packaging infrastructure and should therefore generally be rated red unless they meet the evidence requirements for an eligible take-back scheme, in which case they may receive an amber rating.
The department also said some films and food packaging could receive poorer ratings where materials or substances create recycling or contamination issues, citing PFAS, certain multilayer structures and non-compliant food-contact materials as examples.
A red RAM rating does not, however, mean that a particular item of packaging has not been recycled. RAM assesses recyclability against UK collection, sorting and reprocessing infrastructure, while packaging can also be recorded as red where it has not been assessed or where sufficient information is unavailable.
Regulators have cautioned that checks on the reported data are continuing and figures may therefore change.
FPA comment: “These figures provide an important early indication of how RAM could affect different packaging formats, but they also underline the extent to which recyclability ratings are influenced by the infrastructure available to collect, sort and reprocess them.
“For flexible packaging in particular, the issue is not simply one of pack design. Where established collection and reprocessing routes do not exist at scale, producers may face higher fees even where the packaging performs an important function and alternatives are limited.
“As modulated fees begin to have a financial impact, producers need clear guidance on how ratings are determined, what evidence can be used to support an assessment and how improvements in collection and recycling infrastructure will ultimately be reflected in the system”.
Government considered further DRS delay amid supermarket cost concerns
Government considered delaying the UK Deposit Return Scheme beyond October 2027 as part of discussions over how to reduce regulatory and cost pressures on supermarkets, according to letsrecycle.com
The disclosure comes against a background of concerns from major retailers over the investment required to prepare stores for DRS, including installing and operating reverse vending machines, providing storage for returned containers and adapting store operations.
The British Retail Consortium had previously called the October 2027 timetable “not feasible”, citing infrastructure costs and wider food-price pressures.
Despite consideration of a further delay, government has retained the current timetable. DRS is due to launch on 1 October 2027, covering eligible PET plastic bottles and aluminium and steel drinks cans between 150ml and three litres.
Supermarkets and other grocery retailers will play a central role in the scheme as return points, although exemptions are available in specified circumstances. Exchange for Change has also introduced retailer support measures including grants towards reverse vending machines and return-handling fees.
FPA comment: “The fact that a further delay was considered illustrates the scale of the operational and cost issues that have had to be worked through as DRS moves towards implementation.
“For manufacturers and distributors, however, certainty is becoming increasingly important. Businesses need stable information on timing, labelling, deposits, systems and customer requirements so they can make production, stock and investment decisions with confidence.
“The priority now should be ensuring that DRS, pEPR and the wider packaging reforms work together coherently and that implementation does not create avoidable cost or complexity elsewhere in the supply chain”.
Welsh flexibles trial highlights both recycling potential and collection challenge
A Welsh Government and WRAP trial has demonstrated that high-quality flexible plastic can be recovered through kerbside collections – while highlighting the challenge of getting sufficient material into the system.
The nine-month trial across Swansea and the Vale of Glamorgan collected more than 150 tonnes of flexible plastic packaging. Around 76% of material received was subsequently recycled, with purity levels for both polyethylene and polypropylene of around 95%.
Capture rates were considerably lower. The trial estimated an overall capture rate of 28% in Swansea and 50% in the Vale of Glamorgan, compared with an average of around 84% for other dry recyclable materials in Wales.
The trial covered mainly PE and PP bags and wrapping. Cling film, food pouches and film lids from food trays were excluded.
The Welsh Government remains committed to introducing kerbside collections of flexible plastics from 2027, while England has postponed its equivalent Simpler Recycling requirement until April 2030.
FPA comment: “The results demonstrate both sides of the flexibles challenge. Where material was collected, the trial achieved encouraging levels of purity and recycling, but capture and participation remained substantially below those for established recycling streams.
“It's also important to note the formats excluded from the trial. Developing collection is an important part of the picture, but collection, sorting, reprocessing capability and end markets all need to work together if greater volumes of flexible packaging are to achieve better recycling outcomes”.
Government says it is seeking solutions to
glass EPR pressures
Government has said ministers are working across departments to identify possible solutions to the pressures facing the glass sector under extended producer responsibility for packaging.
In a written parliamentary question, Cardiff West MP Alex Barros-Curtis asked whether Defra would reform EPR before Year 2 fees are issued and revisit glass fees with a reduction of at least 75%.
Responding on 18 September, circular economy minister Emma Hardy said government was “alive to the concerns of the glass industry” and that ministers were working across government to identify appropriate solutions to the pressures facing the sector.
The response does not commit government either to reforming the scheme before Year 2 fees are finalised or to a reduction in the glass rate.
PackUK has previously confirmed that final Year 2 pEPR fees and Notices of Liability are expected by the end of November.
View the full written question and answer here
IN BRIEF
£26 annual Digital Waste Tracking charge confirmed
Government has confirmed that organisations covered by the new Digital Waste Tracking service will pay an annual charge of £26.
The fee covers all waste-receiving sites operated by an organisation, with the first payment due by 31 January 2027.
Use of the service becomes mandatory for permitted and licensed waste-receiving sites in England and Wales from October 2026, followed by Scotland and Northern Ireland from January 2027.
The first phase requires receiving sites to report waste they accept. Waste exemptions will be brought into the system during a later phase, while carriers, brokers and dealers are currently scheduled to come within mandatory Digital Waste Tracking from October 2027.
UK household recycling rate remains at 44.5%
The UK household recycling rate remained broadly unchanged at 44.5% in 2024, compared with 44.6% the previous year, according to the latest government statistics.
Across the four nations, Wales recorded the highest waste-from-households recycling rate at 58.6%, followed by Northern Ireland at 50.1%, England at 43.8% and Scotland at 42.7%.
Packaging recycling stood at 73.2% in 2024. Provisional figures for 2025 indicate that the overall rate subsequently fell to 70.5%, with steel at 88.5%, paper and cardboard at 80.3%, glass at 75.1%, plastic at 57.3% and wood at 43.7%.
The figures provide useful wider context as pEPR and RAM increasingly seek to use producer fees to influence packaging design and recycling performance.
ELSEWHERE ...
UK MRF trial to test how compostable and bio-based packaging behaves in recycling systems
A new UK programme has been launched to test how bio-based, biodegradable and compostable materials behave in existing recycling infrastructure.
Led by RECOUP, the trials will take place at materials recovery facilities to assess whether the materials can be reliably identified and sorted alongside conventional packaging. The work will also examine the technical and economic case for organic recycling of certified compostable packaging.
The trials form part of the second phase of the UK Bio-Based Solutions Network, BB-REG-NET, led by the Bio-based and Biodegradable Industries Association and funded through Innovate UK.
The wider programme comprises nine work packages intended to develop evidence, standards and practical tools to support the commercialisation of bio-based materials, with the findings ultimately contributing to a national roadmap for accelerating their adoption.
FPA comment: “Much of the discussion around compostable and bio-based packaging focuses on the properties of the pack itself, but what happens once it enters the waste system is equally important.
“Real-world evidence from operational sorting facilities should help provide a clearer picture of where these materials can work effectively, where infrastructure or collection systems need to change, and where unintended consequences may arise”.
Circular economy investment held back by policy uncertainty, CIWM finds
Greater policy certainty, stronger end markets and targeted public investment are needed to unlock investment in UK circular-economy infrastructure, according to new research commissioned by CIWM.
The study, undertaken by Resource Futures, found that capital is available but investors continue to regard reuse, repair and recycling infrastructure as relatively high-risk because of weak market signals, uncertain end markets and insufficient long-term policy clarity.
CIWM is calling on government to publish the Circular Economy Growth Plan and its sector-specific roadmaps, create stronger demand for domestically recycled and reused materials and use public investment to help de-risk projects.
The research examines four priority material streams, including plastics and consumer packaging, and argues that circular-economy infrastructure should increasingly be treated as critical national infrastructure because of its role in resource security, resilience and competitiveness.
It also recommends targeted support to bridge the gap between early-stage innovation and commercial deployment.
FPA comment: “This reinforces the importance of looking at packaging policy as part of a whole system. Producers can be encouraged through EPR, RAM and other measures to change packaging design, but those incentives need to be matched by investment in collection, sorting, reprocessing and viable end markets.
“Businesses also need confidence that the policy direction will remain sufficiently stable to justify long-term investment. Greater certainty and a joined-up approach will be essential if the UK is to build the infrastructure needed to support its circular-economy ambitions”.
Deposit-free reusable cup trial launches in Bristol
A year-long reusable cup trial has launched in Bristol to test whether removing deposits, apps and registration requirements can increase participation in reuse schemes.
The Lendable initiative, developed by Ecosurety and UWE Bristol with SUEZ, Re-uz UK and Hubbub, is operating across UWE Bristol’s Frenchay Campus. Hot and cold drinks from participating outlets, including Costa Coffee, Subway and the Students’ Union Bar, are being served in reusable purple cups.
Customers do not pay a deposit or register for the scheme. Instead, used cups can simply be placed in one of 80 collection bins around the campus.
SUEZ will collect the cups and transport them for professional washing and sanitisation before they are returned to the university for further use.
The trial is intended to establish whether removing some of the practical barriers associated with reuse can improve participation and whether the model could ultimately be replicated more widely.
FPA comment: “Reuse works best when the system around it is convenient for consumers and operationally viable for businesses. Trials such as this can provide useful evidence about return rates, losses, washing and logistics rather than relying on assumptions about consumer behaviour.
“The important test will be how the system performs over time and how its environmental and economic impacts compare with the alternatives on a whole-life basis”.
Wholesalers urge Chancellor to keep avoidable costs out of food supply chain
Leading UK food and drink wholesalers have urged the Chancellor to avoid imposing further costs on the food supply chain in the forthcoming Budget.
Senior figures from businesses including Sysco GB, Bestway Wholesale, Parfetts, Bidfood and AF Blakemore have signed a letter organised by Food & Drink Wholesale UK warning that higher operating costs ultimately flow through to independent shops, pubs and restaurants, schools, hospitals, care homes and consumers.
The group has set out five proposed measures, including protecting essential wholesale depots from unintended increases in business rates and creating conditions intended to support investment and employment.
The intervention provides further evidence of cost pressure across sectors served by foodservice packaging manufacturers and distributors, particularly hospitality, foodservice and convenience retail.
On-the-go sales fall despite wider hospitality growth
Britain’s managed hospitality sector recorded a fourth consecutive month of year-on-year sales growth in August, although the on-the-go market continued to struggle.
Like-for-like sales across leading hospitality groups increased by 0.8% compared with August 2025, according to the latest NIQ RSM Hospitality Business Tracker.
The figures are particularly relevant to foodservice packaging suppliers given the direct relationship between consumer footfall, takeaway and food-to-go sales and packaging demand.
EUROPE
Diverging UK and EU recyclability rules create dual compliance challenge
Packaging businesses trading in both the UK and EU face increasingly different approaches to assessing recyclability as the UK’s Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) and the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) develop in parallel.
Under UK pEPR, RAM uses a traffic-light system to assess household packaging against a range of criteria, with red, amber and green ratings used to determine modulated producer fees.
PPWR takes a different approach. Its recyclability requirements progressively form part of the conditions determining whether packaging can continue to be placed on the EU market, with packaging ultimately assessed against EU recyclability performance grades.
The treatment of PFAS provides one example of the differences emerging between the two regimes. RAM 2027 requires food packaging containing more than 25 parts per billion (ppb) of any individual or total PFAS to be automatically rated red, while PPWR sets separate thresholds of 25 ppb for an individual targeted PFAS and 250 ppb for the sum of targeted PFAS.
The distinction means the same packaging format could attract one classification for UK pEPR fee purposes while being subject to a separate set of requirements governing its continued placement on the EU market.
The issue is particularly relevant for UK businesses serving European customers and those supplying Northern Ireland. Much of PPWR, including its recyclability requirements, applies in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework, although its EPR provisions do not.
FPA comment: “RAM and PPWR are sometimes discussed as though they provide equivalent recyclability tests, but they serve different regulatory purposes and increasingly businesses will need to understand both. For this reason the FPA SAGA Committee has compiled an FPA compliance guide to PPWR for members, which is accessible to FPA members within the FPA Member Hub, alongside the recently updated FPA pEPR guidance .
“The emerging differences around PFAS demonstrate why that distinction matters. Businesses operating across both markets need to understand not only how packaging will be rated for UK pEPR fee purposes, but separately whether it satisfies the requirements governing market access under PPWR.
“As both regimes develop, clear guidance will be essential to prevent unnecessary complexity and ensure businesses understand precisely which requirements apply to which market”.
The FPA's SAGA Committee has published an FPA compliance guide to PPWR for members, which is accessible to FPA members within the FPA Member Hub, alongside the recently updated FPA pEPR guidance
Italy sets compostability requirement for
selected HORECA packaging
Italy has introduced new compostability requirements for a number of single-use plastic packaging formats, including foodservice packaging, as it prepares for restrictions under the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.
From 01 January 2030, specified formats placed on the Italian market will need to be certified as biodegradable and compostable in accordance with UNI EN 13432, or an equivalent recognised European compostability standard.
The requirements include pre-filled single-use plastic packaging for food and drinks intended to be consumed on the premises of hotels, restaurants and catering establishments.
They also cover individual portions of condiments including sauces, preserves, coffee cream and sugar. Packaging supplied with ready-to-eat takeaway food intended for immediate consumption is excluded, as is packaging required for safety and hygiene in certain healthcare settings.
Other formats covered include plastic packaging for less than 1.5kg of pre-packed fresh fruit and vegetables and certain single-use flexible packaging for cosmetics and hygiene products in the hospitality sector.
The move makes use of provisions within PPWR that allow Member States to set additional compostability requirements for specified packaging formats.
FPA comment: “This is another example of why businesses supplying into the EU will need to look beyond the headline requirements of PPWR and understand how individual Member States implement the Regulation.
“Clear product information, certification and close communication throughout the supply chain will become increasingly important to foodservice packaging manufacturers and distributors serving different European markets, given that material and format requirements may increasingly vary according to destination”.
European Parliament debates PPWR burden on smaller businesses
MEPs have debated the impact of PPWR implementation on small and medium-sized businesses trading across EU borders amid concerns over registration, reporting and authorised-representative requirements.
During the 16 September debate, a number of MEPs argued that businesses selling relatively small quantities into multiple EU countries could face disproportionate administrative costs. Suggestions included an EU-wide registration system, de minimis thresholds and changes to authorised-representative requirements.
INTERNATIONAL
US study finds packaging changing faster than recycling infrastructure
Changes in packaging formats are outpacing the development of collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure in the US, according to the latest State of Recycling analysis from The Recycling Partnership.
The report finds that the household recycling stream has become lighter and more diverse since 2020, partly because of lightweighting and growth in formats such as non-bottle plastics and flexible packaging.
The report cautions that falling tonnage does not necessarily mean the recycling system is facing less pressure. Lightweight formats can still create challenges where capture is low, sorting is difficult, contamination risk is higher or end-market value is weak.
California governor vetoes changes to $5bn
plastic pollution fund
California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed legislation that would have introduced further rules governing how the state’s Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund is administered.
The bill had been opposed by several packaging industry organisations, including the US Foodservice Packaging Institute, Flexible Packaging Association and Plastics Industry Association, while environmental groups supported it.
California’s packaging EPR programme is due to begin operating in 2027, with producer responsibility organisation Circular Action Alliance expected to submit its final programme plan in October.
OTHER NEWS
UK
Packaging News: Recycle Week – behaviour change a key focus for 2026. Read more here
Packaging News: London Packaging Week – 2026 show closes with insight-packed final day. Read more here
The Telegraph: Gwynedd council suspends plans for an overnight visitor levy following widespread opposition to the proposed tourist tax. Read more here
Restaurant Online: Co-op closes all five standalone On The Go stores as it shifts its food-to-go proposition back into the retailer’s wider convenience estate. Read more here
RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY
BBC News: Artificial intelligence is helping Biffa identify and recycle used milk bottles into food-grade plastic packaging at its Redcar facility. Read more here
ENGEL: New all-electric thin-wall packaging system targets high-volume food applications, with the manufacturer claiming around 30% lower energy consumption than comparable hybrid or hydraulic machines. Read more here
Packaging Europe: Bower Collective and Kelpi launch a recyclable paper sachet for liquids using a seaweed-derived barrier coating. Read more here
Packaging Europe: MM Packaging Deeside upgrades its fibre-based GreenPeel food tray with a double-rim structure designed to improve strength and seal performance for fresh proteins. Read more here
Foodservice News: CRYOVAC launches pre-filled ZeroPrep condiment pouches designed to replace refillable squeeze bottles in restaurant back-of-house operations. Read more here
EUROPE
Packaging Insights: Futamura and Bio4Life launch a home- and industrially compostable produce label ahead of PPWR compostability requirements taking effect in 2028. Read more here
Packaging Europe: Industry commentary examines whether PPWR compliance systems can deliver benefits beyond simply demonstrating regulatory conformity. Read more here
Packaging Insights: Toppan and Irplast open a new Italian BOPP film line with an annual capacity of up to 30,000 tonnes and a focus on lightweighting packaging. Read more here
INTERNATIONAL
Resource Recycling: New Jersey recyclers warn that delaying recycled-content requirements for food-contact packaging is already affecting investment and resin contracts. Read more here
Packaging Dive: Foodservice-packaging manufacturer Sabert is to be acquired by food and beverage-focused private equity firm Butterfly Equity. Read more here
Packaging Insights: US e-commerce growth and lighter packaging formats are creating new pressures for residential recycling systems, according to analysis of The Recycling Partnership’s latest data. Read more here
Packaging Insights: New analysis examines packaging decarbonisation strategies including lightweighting, recycling and material choice, with PET showing a carbon advantage in some applications while wider plastics challenges remain. Read more here
FPA NEWS & EVENTS
FPA in the news
Packaging News: Treasury 'acknowledges pEPR concerns' over packaging entering commercial waste streams
Packaging News: PackUK to set out five-year strategy for EPR delivery
Talking Rubbish recording live at 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.
Robbie Staniforth and James Piper from Talking Rubbish will be recording live at the event, where 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, Ecosurety, SUEZ, the National Physical Laboratory, Carbon Trust, Greyparrot, the LCA Centre, the Vegetarian Society, CMA, the 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
Aurie Styla confirmed as host of UK Packaging Awards 2026
Packaging News has announced that award-winning comedian, actor and broadcaster Aurie Styla will host this year’s UK Packaging Awards, taking place on Wednesday 7 October at the London Hilton, Park Lane.
Styla has appeared on television and radio including The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan, Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club, Deep Fake Neighbour Wars and BBC Radio London, alongside touring his own stand-up shows in the UK and internationally.
Now in their 21st year, the UK Packaging Awards bring together professionals from across the packaging supply chain to recognise achievement in areas including packaging design, manufacturing, sustainability, technology and business performance. The organisers expect more than 500 attendees at this year’s ceremony.
Find out more and book tickets
Northern Ireland packaging policy event to cover pEPR, DRS, PPWR and PFAS
Businesses supplying the Northern Ireland market are being invited to a free Packaging Policy Update Event at CAFRE’s Loughry Campus in Cookstown on Friday 13 November.
The conference will provide updates and practical guidance on the major packaging reforms affecting businesses, including packaging EPR, the Deposit Return Scheme and the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.
The event is aimed at businesses across the agri-food, manufacturing, retail and packaging sectors and will examine issues including packaging design, recyclability, producer responsibility fees and future compliance requirements.
Experts from the Food Standards Agency will also provide an update on the developing regulatory landscape for PFAS in food-contact materials.
Defra Circular Economy stakeholder forum dates
Defra's Circular Economy Joint Stakeholder Forums provide businesses and other stakeholders with regular updates on packaging, waste and wider circular economy reforms.
Stakeholders will hear updates from Defra's Circular Economy Directorate, PackUK, the Environment Agency and other relevant bodies, learn about policy and operational developments, and have an opportunity to put questions to officials.
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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