The UK Government has formally submitted draft amendments to the packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) regulations for Parliamentary approval.
These revisions introduce a number of technical and operational updates intended to fine-tune the scheme, which first came into effect in January 2025.
If approved, the amended regulations are scheduled to take effect from January 2026. They aim to address several issues identified during the first year of pEPR implementation.
PackUK previously outlined its expected pEPR milestones up to 2030 in the Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) Roadmap 2025–2030, published in October 2025.
Updated Packaging Definitions
One of the key technical changes relates to the definition of “fibre-based composite material”, which will now be aligned with the RAM.
Under the revised definition, the term covers packaging made primarily from paperboard or paper fibres combined with one or more plastic layers that cannot be manually separated.
Where a fibre-based composite contains a plastic layer accounting for less than 5% of its total weight, producers will now classify it under the paper/board category instead of listing it as a composite.
The amendments also grant PackUK broader authority to refine the criteria used for modulated fees, allowing charges to reflect whether packaging is “reasonably necessary” and proportionate for its intended purpose.
Closed Loop Collection and Recycling
For the first time, businesses operating closed loop collection and recycling systems will be able to deduct the tonnage they collect and recycle from their EPR obligations.
Producers will be able to report this material separately, provided they collect food-grade plastic packaging directly from households, recycle it without mixing it with other producers’ waste and can demonstrate that it has been reprocessed back into food-grade material.
The amendments also clarify rules for corporate mergers, confirming that the newly formed entity will be treated as a large producer if either of the original organisations held that status.
Producer Responsibility Organisations
PackUK has been granted the ability to appoint one or more Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs).
These industry-led bodies may be authorised to carry out specific functions for PackUK or to provide expert advice on how the scheme should operate.
PackUK must obtain the consent of all four UK nations before making any final appointments. Applications for PRO status are now open.
