In an open letter to the Packaging EPR Scheme Administrator Interim Steering Group, ministers from the four nations confirmed that a co-design process has been established to create the PRO.
This will involve members of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) convened PRO Steering Group as well as local authorities and representatives from across the value chain.
Under EPR, all UK businesses that handle packaging will need to fund the total cost of managing packaging waste, with illustrative fees for each material published in August.
The introduction of EPR has been designed to accelerate the move towards circular economy principles within packaging, with packaging manufacturers now required to report on the collection, sorting, recycling and disposal of their products by 1 April 2025.
‘Welcome news’
Commenting on the appointment of a PRO, the FDF’s director of corporate affairs and packaging Jim Bligh said: “All successful EPR schemes are led by producers, so it is very welcome that the UK’s four governments have decided to follow international best practice.
“A producer-led organisation can harness the expertise of manufacturers, and the waste value chain, to create a true circular economy for packaging recycling. This includes boosting investment in infrastructure, supporting councils to run effective and efficient services, and working with producers in all sectors to use more recycled content and cut down their use of packaging.”
Bligh added: “With EPR expected to cost at least £1.7bn in 2025 alone, it is essential that it delivers value for money and boosts Britain’s recycling rates.”
Meanwhile, Provision Trade Federation director general Rod Addy said that body would welcome the creation of a PRO group.
"Direct involvement from packaging experts at all stages of the supply chain working alongside government is vital to the success of any EPR scheme and PROs have contributed significantly to leading schemes in Belgium and Canada," Addy told Food Manufacture.
"We hope industry can now accelerate the development of an EPR scheme that is coordinated across all four UK home nations and ensures fair costs to all companies, small and large alike.”
In other news, the Competition and Markets Authority has launched a phase 1 investigation into the proposed acquisition of Britvic by Carlsberg.
