UK packaging-waste regime rebuilt 2023-2027. Obligated producer thresholds — >£1M relevant turnover and >25 tonnes packaging (small £1M-£2M and 25-50t data-only; large >£2M and >50t data and fees). pEPR data reporting via DEFRA Report Packaging Data service bi-annual, segmented by material (paper/card, plastic, glass, steel, aluminium, wood, fibre composites, other) and stream (household/non-household, drinks containers). pEPR fee — large producers pay PackUK Scheme Administrator per-tonne fee funding local authorities (illustrative 2025/26: plastic ~£485/t, glass ~£240/t, paper/card ~£196/t, aluminium ~£266/t, steel ~£305/t, wood ~£319/t, fibre composites ~£455/t). Fee modulation by Recyclability Assessment Methodology rating from 2026 — RAM-Red multiplier above base, RAM-Green discount. RAM based on collection-system availability, sortation compatibility, reprocessing infrastructure, contaminant-free design. Plastic Packaging Tax (Finance Act 2021, in force April 2022) — £223.69/tonne 2025/26 on plastic packaging components manufactured/imported in UK with <30% recycled plastic content by weight, 10-tonne annual threshold, HMRC quarterly return. Recycled-content evidence — documented chain-of-custody via ISO 14021 self-declaration, mass-balance with audited reconciliation, or third-party schemes (RecyClass, ISCC PLUS); bio-based/biodegradable/compostable do NOT count as recycled. Deposit Return Scheme launches October 2027 for England/Wales/NI — single-use drinks containers 150ml-3L (PET, steel, aluminium; glass excluded from EWNI scheme, Scotland scheme separately postponed), 20p deposit, producer registration with Deposit Management Organisation, DRS logo and barcode on packaging, retailers >100m² operate return points. Simpler Recycling standardises England household collections from March 2026 — paper/card, plastic, glass, metal, food waste (weekly), garden waste. Online marketplaces are obligated producers for empty packaging supplied with goods by non-UK sellers; UK importers are obligated producers for finished-goods packaging from non-UK suppliers.

Regulatory anchors

Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024
Finance Act 2021 Part 2
Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (England) Regulations
Environment Act 2021

Where this term comes up

Consumer Products Food Processing Plastics & Resins Cosmetics Packaging & food contact

How V5 handles it

Score your compliance gap — then download the validation pack.

A guided self-assessment walks you against the regulator clauses that apply to your industry. The validation pack — IQ/OQ scripts, traceability matrix, risk assessment, intended-use statement — generates from the same evidence so you can hand it to an auditor on day one.

Document control — one version in force, every change signed and explained.

Draft the next revision while the current one stays in use, approve it under your sign-off route, and track training on it — with the history kept.

Supplier portal — chase nothing. Score everything.

Suppliers log in, see what you need, submit it against your spec, and watch their scorecard. SCARs are raised, replied to and closed in the portal — not in your inbox.

UK Packaging EPR & Plastic Packaging Tax

Next step

UK Packaging EPR & Plastic Packaging Tax

Next step