With so many packaging choices and legislation being produced that will affect the future shape of packaging in the UK, we are delighted that Martin Kersh, executive director of the Foodservice Packaging Association, is able to share his knowledgeable insight of current packaging developments with Good Habits.
The UK’s independent takeaway sector has never been under such duress. Before the pandemic, the sector faced increasing ingredient prices, an unfair business rates system, high rents and competition from supermarkets enjoying no VAT, all of which conspire to undermine the viability of the sector. Add in lockdown and business not returning to normal until late June at the earliest, it is vital the government understands much of its future legislation on packaging will place our superb takeaway sector under additional stress.
Legislative Stress
The government is currently producing legislation on Waste Management Consistency, a Deposit Return System, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and a Plastics Tax for England. Wales and Scotland are also introducing legislation. These reforms will dictate the future shape of UK packaging, and they come at a price – estimated to be around £5 billion. EPR means businesses paying for the full net cost of waste management of packaging and for all litter costs. It will include a modulation calculation whereby harder to recycle items will pay more. It is estimated businesses will pay up to 10 times more for their producer compliance as they do now.
Developments in packaging should not be adding to the pressures faced but should be opportunities to help the UK in its development of a circular economy whereby materials are kept in circulation for as long as possible, which in turn will help the UK meet its vital carbon reduction targets.
Every business, no matter the size, has a part to play in making changes to the packaging they buy. They need to ask whether these changes, which always seem to come at a price, will make any difference to the bigger environmental challenges.
Doing the Right Thing
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has undertaken a call for evidence on green claims. The CMA's research discovered that many claims for so called ‘miracle’ packaging are made without evidence to support them, yet such products can enjoy a clearly unfair price premium as they play on the desire of us all to want to do the right thing.
When anyone tries to sell you packaging that they claim is in anyway environmentally superior, you must always ask for evidence. A good example of this is compostables. Reputable producers subject their packaging to testing by independent laboratories to certify the packaging will indeed compost within a timeframe that allows them to be described as compostable. Of course, those who do things the right way such as Friars Pride should not be undercut by those suppliers who are cutting corners by not ensuring packaging is tested for all the claims made. This includes evidence of meeting UK food safety regulations.
Compostables work well in closed environments where you have full control and can ensure they are collected after use and go into the correct waste stream. Once you take them out to the wider environment they are not as great because people really do not know what to do with them. We are working to ensure compostables are recognised in waste management consistency legislation as there is, so far, very little recognition of compostables in the Defra reforms. There must be real waste management recognition of them if compostables are going to exist as a packaging format at a bigger scale in the consistent collection system planned for England.
So called ‘plastic free’ packaging
Increasingly you are going to be asked to consider buying packaging claiming to be ‘plastic free’. This is mostly made from board that must be coated to prevent the contents from leaking. This packaging appears to be the solution, but we ask everyone we come across making these claims for evidence of being ‘plastic free’ and despite promises and signing non-disclosure agreements we have yet to receive any evidence that proves so called ‘plastic free’ packaging is what it alleges to be.
Plastics Ban in Motion
You no doubt will be aware of the plastics straw ban in England. With environmental matters being devolved, Wales and Scotland are in the process of developing legislation seeking to ban several items including plastic straws and EPS containers. The latter is a pity as it offers such superb thermal benefits at a low cost. It has been shown EPS performs well, if not better, than alternatives in environmental life cycle assessments that consider the entire life cycle of packaging from creation to end of life. This is because so little resource goes into making EPS and it is very light.
It is very important to note the Westminster government has not yet turned its attention to EPS. The process for a ban requires consultation, an appraisal of the economic impacts and for legislation to be written and agreed. At this stage we do not know if the UK government will seek a ban. However, Scotland and Wales have very much set these wheels in motion. The FPA negotiated a period of six months to use up stocks of straws and are confident a similar timescale will apply to any future bans.
Finding the Perfect Solution
Despite what salespeople may tell you, there is no such thing as perfect packaging. There is no such thing as the perfect environmental solution. If there was, we would all be using it.
There are some producers out there claiming their packaging is biodegradable. This suggests it will simply biodegrade without any further assistance or special conditions, some even allege biodegradables are ok in litter. Nothing is ok in litter and it is disgraceful to hear of suppliers claiming their packaging will effectively disappear if littered. Making such unfounded claims is wholly irresponsible and is an added incentive to litter. If someone offers you ‘biodegradable’ packaging ask them how it biodegrades, where it biodegrades, the circumstances for it to biodegrade and for a copy of a certificate to prove it biodegrades.
Is the Future Reusable?
An interesting development is the growth in the use of reusables, the development of which slowed up because of the pandemic and safety concerns. This really does indicate that reusables should only be used as part of a reusables system. There is concern regarding the public bringing reusables into foodservice premises that have not been washed properly or are cracked and then are presented to be filled with coffee or food. We have a lot of legislation surrounding packaging and food safety, but we do not really have the equivalent for reusable items. Such regulations are needed. Systems must enable packaging to be returned ideally without coming into the premises and certainly without contact with serving staff.
Both compostables and recyclables will have a very important part to play in the future. It is all down to infrastructure investment, and the funding that comes from new government legislation must be used to increase recycling and composting. What must not be allowed to happen is that in 10 years’ time we find ourselves paying more and getting no growth in recycling and composting in return.
You are faced with a lot of difficult decisions to make just to run your businesses. Packaging should make your lives easier, but I am afraid the changes in legislation are certainly initially going to make it more complicated. Just be wary of suppliers saying it is easy. Believe me it is not.
Want To Talk Packaging?
Feel free to get in contact with our sales team to discuss our range of packaging. Our team are ready to help and can go through the different options that are available from Friars Pride.
For the contact information of your local depot, please see below, or click here.
- Peterborough: Sales Tel 01733 316400
- Basildon: Sales Tel 01268 720140
- Norwich: Sales Tel 01603 721127
- Nottingham: Sales Tel 01603 721127
- Plymouth: Sales Tel 01752 262323
- Poole: Sales Tel 01202 743177
- Bristol: Sales Tel 0117 971 4331