Government announces changes to packaging EPR: What this means for Producers

The UK Government has announced changes to packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR), including measures affecting glass packaging supplied to hospitality businesses.

Producers have faced a period of rapid change with Packaging EPR, whilst managing budgeting of significant fees. Producers have ongoing concerns about affordability, fairness and longer-term fee predictability. Our focus at UK Packaging PRO is to provide pragmatic, practical support and to drive towards a more transparent, efficient, fair and predictable EPR system.

What has been announced?

The Government has outlined four measures:

1. From April 2027 - Changes to EPR fees for glass supplied to hospitality businesses

Glass drinks containers sold directly by producers to pubs, restaurants and other licensed hospitality venues will no longer be subject to EPR fees. This begins to address concerns about paying for the recycling of packaging which is already managed through commercial waste arrangements. The measure will apply across all four UK nations.

2. November 2026 - call for evidence - Proposals for stronger fee modulation

PackUK will launch a call for evidence shortly to explore impacts of accelerated modulation to producer fees into the future. This affects how the total costs of the scheme are allocated by material to drive a shift to more environmentally sustainability packaging design with recyclability as the indicator. This call for evidence could reduce fees for the most recyclable packaging, including glass by up to 40%*, while increasing the relative costs of harder-to-recycle packaging.

*These are proposals for further consideration, not confirmed changes to the fee structure.

3. December 2026 - Exploring greater packaging reuse

A separate call for evidence led by DEFRA is expected in December 2026 to explore opportunities for businesses to increase packaging reuse at scale.

This will cover England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. We understand the Welsh Government is working on this in relation to their deposit return scheme.

4. Early 2027 - Broader eco-modulation call for evidence

PackUK will also launch a call-for-evidence on fees manufacturers pay for packaging waste - to ensure easy-to-recycle packaging costs less.

5. Trade Remedies Authority investigations

Separately, the independent Trade Remedies Authority is undertaking two investigations on imports of glass containers. This includes a dumping investigation on Chinese-origin imports and a subsidy investigation on Turkish-origin imports. 

Following a recommendation made by the Trade Remedies Authority, a provisional anti-dumping measure on Chinese imports was imposed on 9 September. Both investigations remain ongoing. 

Other packaging-related interventions

By end of November 2026 - RAM 27 - PFAS and direct printing of PP - imminent outcome of expert groups review. We expect a decision about changes to RAM 27 relating to PFAS and PP direct printing.

What does this mean for producers?

The immediate change reduces the long-standing issue of on-trade drinks containers being classified as "household waste" within packaging EPR regulations. This exclusion only applies where producers are supplying glass drinks containers directly to licensed hospitality venues and does not apply to supply via wholesale/3rd party distributor.

It's worth noting that reducing fees for some types of packaging does not reduce the overall cost of the system; it changes how those costs are shared. UK Packaging PRO will be focussed on gathering evidence from the value chain to understand how any future proposals affect different producers and materials, whilst also working to improve the overall cost and effectiveness of the scheme.