Latest news with #EPR
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Driving reuse will cut waste and ease packaging tax costs, UK study claims
Moving 30% of grocery goods sold in the UK to reusable packaging could cut emissions and EPR costs by more than 90%, new research has claimed. The report by consultancy GoUnpackaged and involving a panel featuring Tesco, Ocado and WRAP said the industry and government should 'commit to a target' for reusable packaging in the UK. The study outlines a roadmap for building reusable packaging systems across the UK grocery retail sector to hit the 30% target by 2035. According to the research, the target could be achieved by switching 18 'priority' categories of products to 'around 30 standardised packaging types'. The study ranked the product areas in order of the highest cost savings: home-cooking products – including sauces, pasta and rice – was top, with the list also featuring alcohol, coffee, detergents, fruit and ready meals. The report estimates hitting the 30% re-use target could cut packaging-related emissions by 95% and lead to an annual saving of £136m on the products under the scope of the UK's extended producer responsibility, or EPR, rules. The saving amounts to a 94% reduction in EPR feeds per item switched to reuse, the study showed. Campaigners argue that reuse systems could generate cost savings for retailers over time, compared with continually sourcing new single-use materials. At present, only 1-2% of consumer packaging in the UK is reusable. The report suggests increasing this proportion to 10% by 2030 and then 30% by 2035. To reach these targets, the researchers propose a combination of adapting regulation, infrastructure investment and incentives. These include standardising reusable packaging formats, introducing mandatory reporting requirements, and providing start-up funding for reuse pilots. The organisations backing the report, which include packaging giant Amcor, logistics business CHEP and WWF, stress voluntary initiatives alone will not deliver the change needed. 'The modelling results show, for the first time, an evidenced view of reuse working at scale in the UK for grocery retail, enabling industry and government to make insightful decisions about how to move forwards to co-create the necessary transition to reuse in the UK,' a statement from the report's advisory panel read. However, the researchers admitted their modelling suggests the re-use push would need investment of £149m a year up to 2035. It suggested three ways to fund the investment: add to EPR fees; a mix of higher EPR fees and a tax on single-use items; a combination of increased EPR charges and government funding. 'Industry needs long-term policy certainty from the government to create a level playing field, allow long-term planning and investment, and create the right incentives to support the transition to reuse,' the report read. Last month, PepsiCo announced changes to its targets on packaging. The US food and drinks giant had been looking to 'deliver 20% of all beverage servings through reusable models by 2030', a target that no longer exists. The company said it will focus on a wider goal for reusable, recyclable, or compostable (RRC) packaging by design. By 2030, PepsiCo is aiming for at least 97% of its packaging to be 'RRC packaging by design … in our primary and secondary packaging in our key packaging markets'. PepsiCo is aiming to cut its use of virgin plastic by 2% year-on-year on average through to 2030. The company's previous target was for a 20% decrease 'derived from non-renewable sources' by the same year. The group's goal for its use of recycled content stands at a reduction of at least 40% 'by 2035 or sooner'. It had been targeting using 50% of recycled content by 2030. In December, The Coca-Cola Company set out revised packaging targets. The group now has two goals on packaging, set for 2035. One is an aim to use 35% to 40% (down from 50%) recycled material in 'primary packaging', which it says is plastic, glass and aluminium. Coca-Cola said it wants to increase its use of recycled plastic from 30% to 35%. The other is to 'ensure the collection of 70% to 75% of the equivalent number of bottles and cans introduced into the market annually'. The new targets do not include an explicit goal for refillable or reusable packaging but Coca-Cola said it will 'continue to invest in refillable packaging where infrastructure already exists'. A spokesperson said: 'We intend to continue to expand the use of refillable packaging in markets where the infrastructure is in place to support this important part of our portfolio and we tailor our refillable packaging approach by market, based on local conditions.' "Driving reuse will cut waste and ease packaging tax costs, UK study claims" was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Cost of supermarket booze set to soar after Labour clobbers brewers with extra £124million in taxes
The British Beer & Pub Association reckons it will put around 16p on a four-pack SHOP BOOZE TAX HIKE Cost of supermarket booze set to soar after Labour clobbers brewers with extra £124million in taxes Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BREWERS have warned of shop price hikes after being hit with a £124million tax on packaging. Ministers yesterday saddled beer and lager producers with a £192 a tonne charge for recycling their glass bottles. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which puts them on the hook for the cost of council collection, sorting and recycling, has been branded a 'Bevy Levy'. The British Beer & Pub Association reckons it will put around 16p on a four-pack. Boss Emma McClarkin said: "By heaping a further £124million on brewers - the equivalent of 4p per 330ml bottle – these new fees sabotage the Chancellor's hopes for British businesses and will hit shoppers at the tills. 'To put it mildly, EPR could drive some brewers out of the glass bottle market and heap more costs on pubs which will only endanger jobs and growth. 'This is just not good enough given the barrage of rates and regulations the sector is already grappling with.' Alex MacDonald of the UK Spirits Alliance warned 'punishing fees' for glass will hurt business and raise the price of drinks for consumers. Earlier in the year Jeremy Clarkson used his Sun column to lash out at the Bevy Levy and all the other taxes crippling pubs like his, The Farmer's Dog. EPR makes producers responsible for the full eco lifecycle of their products, footing the cost of councils to collect, sort and recycle waste packaging. Labour plotting blitz on boozers with Budget 'sin tax' raid on pubs as Wes Streeting threatens outdoor smoking ban
The Sun
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Cost of supermarket booze set to soar after Labour clobbers brewers with extra £124million in taxes
BREWERS have warned of shop price hikes after being hit with a £124million tax on packaging. Ministers yesterday saddled beer and lager producers with a £192 a tonne charge for recycling their glass bottles. The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which puts them on the hook for the cost of council collection, sorting and recycling, has been branded a 'Bevy Levy'. The British Beer & Pub Association reckons it will put around 16p on a four-pack. Boss Emma McClarkin said: "By heaping a further £124million on brewers - the equivalent of 4p per 330ml bottle – these new fees sabotage the Chancellor's hopes for British businesses and will hit shoppers at the tills. 'To put it mildly, EPR could drive some brewers out of the glass bottle market and heap more costs on pubs which will only endanger jobs and growth. 'This is just not good enough given the barrage of rates and regulations the sector is already grappling with.' Alex MacDonald of the UK Spirits Alliance warned 'punishing fees' for glass will hurt business and raise the price of drinks for consumers. Earlier in the year Jeremy Clarkson used his Sun column to lash out at the Bevy Levy and all the other taxes crippling pubs like his, The Farmer's Dog. EPR makes producers responsible for the full eco lifecycle of their products, footing the cost of councils to collect, sort and recycle waste packaging. Labour plotting blitz on boozers with Budget 'sin tax' raid on pubs as Wes Streeting threatens outdoor smoking ban 1
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
ProAmpac and WMU join forces to innovate fibre-based packaging
ProAmpac, a specialist in flexible packaging, has teamed up with Western Michigan University (WMU) in the US to progress the creation of sustainable fibre-based packaging solutions. ProAmpac is incorporating this academic alliance into its expanding worldwide network of scholarly collaborators focused on materials and food science. These partnerships bolster ProAmpac's research and development capabilities and align with its ProActive Sustainability and ProActive Intelligence initiatives. These initiatives promote innovation across all of ProAmpac's product ranges. They also highlight the company's commitment to a circular economy model. ProAmpac global product development and innovation senior vice-president Hesam Tabatabaei said: 'The partnership with Western Michigan University supports ProAmpac's material science team on developing innovative fibre-based technologies. 'WMU's expertise in fibre manufacturing and broad range of capabilities will help accelerate our ability to deliver fibre-based packaging that meets growing market demand for curbside-recyclable and compostable solutions. 'It also enables us to proactively address extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations with scalable, science-based innovation.' The collaboration will also help advance ProAmpac's 'Fibre-First Packaging' approach. WMU chair and Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry fellow Kecheng Li said: 'We're excited to partner with ProAmpac to advance fibre-based packaging innovation. 'By combining our fibre expertise and barrier coating with ProAmpac's material science leadership and global commercial scale, we can accelerate the development of more sustainable and recyclable packaging solutions.' In March this year, ProAmpac enhanced its ProActive Intelligence platform with a range of moisture-adsorbing films. "ProAmpac and WMU join forces to innovate fibre-based packaging" was originally created and published by Packaging Gateway, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Times
a day ago
- Business
- Times
Wine prices up 9p a bottle thanks to net-zero ‘glass tax'
A net-zero 'glass tax' will hike the prices of bottles of wine and beer, the government is expected to announce. The tax, known as extended producer responsibility (EPR), will mean retailers and manufacturers have to pay fees for the disposal of packaging they use. The scheme's final costings will be announced today and is intended to encourage manufacturers to use environmentally friendly materials. Under the new policy, a standard bottle of wine will cost an additional 9p, while the cost of a 330ml beer bottle will rise by around 4p. Spirits will cost an extra 11p under the levy. Some manufacturers have dismissed the supposed benefits of the scheme and insisted glass was more sustainable than alternatives such as cardboard and plastic. 'This ill-thought-out policy could be a hammer blow for the glass industry,' an industry source told the Daily Telegraph. 'British workers are producing sustainable glass, yet the government seems hell-bent on selling them down the river.' The source said that the public did not want their wine served in plastic, nor did they want a price increase on their drinks amid the cost of living crisis. They described the levy as a 'lose-lose policy'. The tax will also apply to aluminium, plastic, cardboard and wood. Each levy is calculated by weight, meaning the glass industry is expected to be hit the hardest. The glass tax could cost as much as £240 a tonne. Officials hope the EPR will incentivise businesses to reduce unnecessary packaging and use more recycled and recyclable materials, while also decreasing the amount of landfill used in manufacturing. About £1 billion a year could be raised by the policy, which was announced by Theresa May's government in 2019. The funds raised will be redirected to councils. Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: 'The current regime will ultimately mean extra cost for the consumer [and] could force some brewers to leave the glass bottle market, and consequently risk jobs and undermine investment. 'These new costs are an own goal as they will seriously damage [the] wafer-thin profits that brewers and pubs make and jeopardise jobs and growth. EPR is the exact opposite of what the chancellor wants to achieve.'
