The UK’s packaging EPR scheme is about to get a lot more opinionated.
In December 2025, government published illustrative “Year 2” waste disposal fees for 2026/27 and, for the first time, they’re shown with modulated red/amber/green rates linked to recyclability (the RAM methodology). The message is simple: packaging that’s easier to recycle should cost less; packaging that causes problems should cost more.
And while these are illustrative (not final), the figures are detailed enough to act like a weather forecast for your 2026 budgets — and for your packaging spec.
The illustrative table puts plastic at: £415/tonne (green), £455/tonne (amber), £545/tonne (red).
Other materials are shown too (glass, paper/board, aluminium, steel, wood, etc.), but plastic is where most FMCG and food brands will feel changes quickest.
The traffic-light multipliers (this is the bit that makes it newsworthy)
1) EPR is already being blamed for pushing prices up
Food and drink manufacturers have been vocal about EPR costs feeding into shelf prices, with public debate turning it from “policy detail” into “real-world inflation pressure.”
2) The admin side has had teething problems
There were reports in late 2025 of hundreds of businesses being double-charged due to a technical issue (with Defra cited as saying 484 businesses were affected).
That kind of story makes finance teams pay attention — and it’s another reason businesses want fewer surprises in 2026.
3) Parliament’s briefing spells out the direction of travel
A House of Commons Library briefing notes that year one uses flat base fees, but from 2026–27 fees are adjusted based on recyclability using a red-amber-green system.
If you want a pack that’s more likely to land “green” (and avoid “red”), the winning approach is usually the old reliable one:
Aim for “simple, standard, sortable”
Think:
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel — you need to stop bolting things onto the wheel that make it harder to recycle.
Here are moves that typically help a pack score better under recyclability rules (and are the sort of tweaks you can spec with a supplier without redoing your whole range):
If your business is likely to be obligated under EPR, treat the December 2025 publication like an early warning:
If you need tailored guidance or additional information, click Contact Us below and our team will be happy to help.
