Reconomy brand Valpak warns ‘last chance for business to have a say on EPR decisions’

As the deadline for the government’s consultation on reforms to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging looms, Reconomy brand Valpak urges cosmetic brands, packaging producers and retailers to make their voices heard. The UK’s largest compliance scheme highlights issues ranging from plans for DRS packaging, to whether responsible producers should bear the costs of those that fail to comply.

George Atkinson, Head of Policy at Valpak, said: “The consultation closes on 9 October. While the delay to EPR aims to give producers more time to prepare, the current regulations contain areas of ambiguity and potential concerns. This could be the last chance for businesses to make their voices heard on legislation that will affect generations to come.”

Valpak has highlighted a range of areas for debate, including timings, transparency around waste management fees and the responsibilities placed on online marketplaces.

Atkinson said: “Although costs have been discussed at policy level, large producers remain unclear on the potential scale of the base waste management fees they can expect to pay from October 2025. Publishing the costs that producers would have paid for local authority operations if EPR had been in place a few years ago would provide a level of transparency to help businesses budget.

“Similarly, the timing of mandatory labelling requirements has not been defined. Given the significant lead times associated with redesigning and bringing altered packaging to market, the date of implementation should be clarified as quickly as possible.”

With the implementation of EPR for Packaging, packaging producers (brands and importers), will be charged with the full net cost of recycling. This includes the cost of collection, sorting and recycling, and is expected to raise compliance costs from £350 million per year to £1.7 billion. Soon after, eco-modulation will increase fees for those supplying unrecyclable packaging even further. 

Atkinson added: “In meeting the full net cost of recycling, there is a danger that those that comply with the legislation will be asked to bear the cost of ‘free riders’ – businesses which fail to meet their obligations. In response, Valpak argues  the regulations include safeguards to protect responsible businesses from the fees owed by the less scrupulous. We are also recommending a reconsideration of the exemption for online sellers under eco-modulation so all producers are affected equally.”

Valpak’s response to the consultation calls for DRS packaging to be included under EPR regulations until DRS is implemented, and for greater clarification around terms such as ‘sustainable packaging’ and the definition of household packaging.

Atkinson also suggests greater differentiation between types of ‘producer’. He said: “Sellers are not required to pay waste management disposal costs, while some producers are only required to collect and report ‘nation of supply data’. To eliminate confusion, we believe it would be beneficial to define subcategories of seller.”

The consultation offers extensive opportunities for debate. Other areas highlighted by Valpak include:

• Formats used for data forms to make them more user-friendly.
• Requirements on local authorities to report on performance.
• Provision for producers that have established takeback schemes for packaging commonly collected from kerbside, or packaging such as flexible plastic which will eventually be collected at kerbside.

Ends

Editors notes

·      Valpak’s mission is to create a sustainable, waste-free world. We are driven, not by today. We are driven by tomorrow.

·      We help our clients to reduce waste and recycle more, continually innovating and using leading data science and expertise to inspire businesses, help push ourselves – and our industry – forward. We don’t just show our customers how to navigate waste regulations; we help them become more sustainable, through our ever-increasing capabilities and pioneering innovations. 

·      Valpak is the largest environmental compliance scheme in the UK. We work with major names, such as Aldi, Tesco, ASOS, and Miele, and manages compliance for more than 2,000 businesses. In 2022, it celebrated its 25th anniversary.

·      Valpak is a Reconomy Group company. Reconomy Group is an innovative, tech-led provider of services to enable the circular economy, with the purpose of creating a truly sustainable world by conserving finite resources. Enabling businesses around the world to improve their ESG outcomes, the Reconomy Group delivers value through its unique set of integrated capabilities - Recycle, Comply and Re-use.​ 

·      Reconomy Group serves businesses of all sizes in the following sectors: retail, hospitality, leisure, manufacturing, facilities management, transport and logistics, construction, house building and infrastructure.

·      Valpak services include:

o   Compliance under Waste Packaging, WEEE, and Battery Directives.

o   Data insights.

o   International compliance.

o   Recycling services (total waste management options and solutions for niche materials).

o   Consultancy.

o   Accreditation under environmental schemes, such as Zero Waste to Landfill. 

Valpak invests in pioneering systems and expertise which enable its customers to analyse, assess and improve product design. The Product Data Hub, Insight Platform and dedicated teams work together to drive change.