Packaging EPR fees to be published

Anticipating we were to be informed by Defra of the EPR base fees last night, the original headline above did not include ‘to be’. These are the figures from which the first round of EPR invoices will be calculated and were intended to be published in June and could of course still be. The FPA has now been told they will be published imminently. Ahead of imminently we can reveal all material fees per tonne have gone down, with one exception: fibre based composites, which we are told will increase by around 1%.

The updated invoice-ready fees will reflect more robust data and certainty, and while the figures hold good for the first invoices we can expect modifications sometime during the rest of the year. The process allows for challenges and appeals while more producers are, we are informed, coming on stream and this could impact the data, and so future fees.

Obligated producers will receive their EPR fee invoices in October 2025, with payments due 50 days after the invoice date, either in a lump sum or by quarterly instalments.The reasons why the fee announcement has been held up hasn’t been set out in detail, but with four nations impacted – plus politicians who may not be quite in tune with businesses desperate to know the numbers – this must all quite frustrating for Defra, as the department has been keen to keep businesses informed.

We will send out the fee details once they are finally published. Once published, time will be needed to comment on the implications of the material base fees relative to each other and we will publish our thoughts next week. In the meantime, we can safely predict not all materials will be happy.

EU looks set to withdraw its Green Claims Directive

In what seems like a major reversal of policy to protect the public, the European Commission is next week proposing to scrap its Green Claims Directive, which was designed to prevent false, vague and misleading environmental claims.

The EU’s own evidence reveals three quarters of products carry some form of green claim and half of these claims are misleading.  The Directive had set out the criteria companies must meet when making environmental based claims. This included banning claims such as ‘carbon-neutral’ and ‘net-zero’ where a business is using carbon offsetting to achieve them. The background to the bans being major concerns about carbon credit markets.

Similarly, the Directive required vague claims such as ‘bio’ and ‘eco’ to include specific information, backed up with genuine data and full information, including how the data was gathered.

The push back has come from the EU’s largest political party, the centre-right EPP Group, which is proposing the Directive is either fundamentally changed or withdrawn altogether. The group claims it risks “unduly hindering sustainability communication through procedures that are overly complex, administratively burdensome, and costly”.

Scrapping the Directive will take place against a background of EC proposals designed to reduce administrative and reporting burdens on businesses, which may also result in a major reduction in the reporting requirements for businesses under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.

Many UK businesses set their standards to meet those in the EU, so the FPA views this possible move by the EC as a setback in our mission to rid packaging of misleading claims of any sort. Protecting the trade and consumers from false claims helps to create a level playing field for all market players, and up till now it felt as if Europe and the UK were moving in the same direction. 

It also makes you wonder what a more populist right-leaning government in the UK would make of the packaging reforms – including EPR.

We wish to encourage new environmental-based developments, but claims for them must be honest, evidenced, and make a measurable difference, if not then the public will learn to mistrust all claims, including those that are true.

Assaulting a meal delivery drier could become an offence

While an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill makes assaulting a retail worker a standalone offence, a proposal to make assaulting a delivery driver a standalone offence, backed by 40 MPs, was not taken forward for a vote in the House of Commons. The call for its inclusion has been made by Labour MP Anneliese Midgley. This comes after Deliveroo reported a 28% rise in abusive incidents towards its riders.

Annelliese Midgley said: “Delivery workers are on the frontline, too. They work alone, often at night. They are public-facing and can be vulnerable. When something goes wrong – a delay, a missing item or the wrong order – they are the ones who face the backlash. Too often frustration turns into abuse, violence or worse.” Of course packaging has a key role in ensuring a meal arrives in a perfect state.

Many of the UK’s foodservice operators are supporting the move to specify delivery workers in the legislation. 

The FPA of course very much agrees foodservice operator employees should be legally protected, and this of course includes riders who deliver on behalf of operators. However, we often observe delivery riders jumping traffic lights, not wearing protective head gear and not turning on lights at night. An employee driving a vehicle on behalf of a company will most likely undergo strict checks such as driving license, insurance, and perhaps also undergo additional driving tuition. This doesn’t appear to be the same for cyclists representing operators who are put at risk making sure meals arrive on time and in good order. Their bikes also seem to move without any peddling required, but aren’t classed as motor bikes. All of this adversely impacts the reputation of the foodservice sector, while putting overworked riders at risk. 

FPA members win big at the Environmental Packaging Awards

At an awards’ ceremony held at the Oval following day one of Environmental Packaging Live Summit, for which the FPA was a sponsor, FPA member companies picked up 14 awards out of 38 presented. Gold silver and bronze awards were given out. Many congratulations go to:

• Colpac
• Faerch
• Coveris (four awards, including a gold).
• Graphic Packaging International (two awards, including a gold).
• EP Group (two awards, including a gold).
• Xampla (gold award).
• Sharpak Aylesham (two awards, including a gold).
• Reflex Group (gold award).

It was a very memorable night for Coveris with the company's four awards including the gold award for Sustainable Packaging Business of the Year.

Environmental Packaging Live Summit

All credit to Packaging News for bringing such a huge chunk of the packaging world together during the Environmental Packaging Live Summit, including very many FPA members. In a programme that inevitably covered the government’s reforms, a broad range of other key subjects were also covered, making for some lively debate. 

A number of FPA members took part in the programme, including EP Group’s Richard Inskip who certainly didn’t spare the horses, Clover Walton of Faerch, Robbie Staniforth of Ecosurety, and Sabert CEO Alex Noake who clearly enjoyed presenting at his second home, the Oval.

FPA executive director Martin Kersh chaired a debate on marrying cost pressures with sustainability demands in the foodservice sector, featuring Colpac’s Talia Goldman, and leading packaging designer Jo Barnard of design consultants Morroma, designers of the new Wagamama packaging. Both Talia and Jo combined superbly and provided a very lively and entertaining debate.

Martin also conducted a fireside chat with Defra’s Director of Circular Economy, Emma Bourne. Emma is Defra’s leading civil servant for packaging, and the interview provided a unique insight into both Emma the person and Emma the lead packaging policy maker. Emma’s career covers a stint with Eric Pickles, a period with the Northern Ireland Directorate leading on the Northern Ireland Protocal, and taking the lead on negotiations for the Windsor Framework, for which she was deservedly rewarded with an OBE.

Emma successfully navigated a series of questions on the complexities of EPR data submission; the need to make things simpler; the distribution of EPR funds to local authorities; freeriders; Defra’s future; the 21,000 new green jobs quoted by minister Mary Creagh to be resulting from the packaging reforms; and the annoyance of spilt cream and yogurt since lids have been removed.

Our congratulations to Waqas, Paul, Hejke and the Packaging News team for a very worthwhile two days.

Tell us what you'd like to see discussed at the FPA's Environment Seminar 

The FPA’s annual Environment Seminar is taking place on Wednesday 29 October at Stationers’ Hall, St Paul’s. As in previous years the seminar will feature a wide range of subjects and speakers and give members the opportunity to hear from, and question, representatives from government, packaging, environment and hospitality. Details will be announced over the coming months.

Apart from asking you to and your colleagues to hold the date, we also ask you to let us know the subjects and issues you would like to be covered by responding to a short survey via the button below before Friday 9 July.

Our thanks to all those who have already responded.

FPA Golf and Activities Day – image library

The 2025 Golf and Activities website page is now live, where you can view and download any of the images from the day.

Thanks again to sponsors Conglom, Seal, and South Staffordshire Paper Products; to ICS for donating the crisps, chocolate bars and drinks for the goody bags; and to Bunzl, The Grand Hotel, Cofresco and Northwood for the raffle prizes.

FPA in the news 

Packaging Insights: Comment from FPA executive director Martin Kersh about the impact of packaging regulations. Read more here

Essential reading 

Restaurant: Kate Nicholls – 'extended producer responsibility could impost yet another significant financial burden on the sector'. Read more here

Circular: CIWM members support WasteAid project in The Gambia. Read more here

Packaging Gateway: AI helps cut plastic waste in packaging. Read more here

Packaging Europe: James Cropper's cup recycling process utilised for children's book. Read more here

Yahoo Finance: Consumer survey confirms sanitary nature of single-use packaging remains most important benefit. Read more here

The Caterer: Bidfood's Andy Kemp retires after more than 40 years in hospitality. Read more here

Packaging News: CPI appoints new chief executive. Read more here