New Packaging Regulations in the UK

The United Kingdom aligned its packaging legislation and published new Packing Regulations in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The Regulations came into force on February 28, 2023, and require producers to collect and report data on the amount and type of packaging they place on the market from March 2023. The data is needed to calculate the fees that producers must pay to cover the costs of handling this packaging as part of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging, which is scheduled to begin in 2024. 

You may need to act if you do any of the following:  

• supply packaged goods to the UK market under your own brand 
• place goods into packaging that’s unbranded when it’s supplied  
• import products in packaging  
• own an online marketplace  (set-up to allow non-UK organisations to sell their goods into the UK)
• hire or loan out reusable packaging  
• supply empty packaging 

This new regulation will require producers with an annual turnover of more than £2 million and handling more than 50 tons of packaging per year to report twice a year to the National Authorities data on the amount and type of packaging they supply, starting in July (October is the deadline) 2023. However, those with a turnover of more than £1 million per year and handling more than 25 tons of packaging per year will only be required to report once a year starting in January (April is the deadline) 2024. 

If you pay or license another company to do any of the following for you, you may need to take action: 

• produce products that will be sold under your brand name 
• pack products that will be sold under your brand name 
• place your branded products on the UK market 
• import products for you 

DEFRA has also updated its guidance for producers. For more information visit: gov.uk

• Scotland 
• Northern Ireland 
• England 

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