Non-government organisation (NGO) Wrap has announced the 55 founding organisations that have already signed up to the ten-year UK Packaging Pact which aims to bring sweeping changes across all packaging materials.
Supported by PackUK, UK government, and led by Wrap, the UK Packaging Pact has the ambition to transform how packaging is designed, used, and recovered. The ultimate goal, of course, is to reduce waste and emissions and better protect nature.
Founding members of the UK Packaging Pact are, as follows:
- Alpha UK Limited
- Arla UK
- Asda
- Aston Manor Limited
- BBIA
- Belu Water LTD
- Beyondly
- Biffa Waste Services Limited
- British Beer & Pub Association
- British Plastics Federation
- Cherry Pipes LTD
- CIWM
- Coral Innovations ltd (T/A SURI)
- CTPA
- DAERA
- DS Smith Ltd
- Ecosurety
- Environmental Services Association
- Faerch
- Fenmarc Produce
- Futamura Chemical Company
- GoUnpackaged
- Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures, University of Sheffield
- Grey Parrot
- GS1 UK
- Haleon
- Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP)
- IOM3 (Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining)
- KM Packaging Services Ltd
- Kraft Heinz Company
- KP Snacks LTD
- Lactalis UK & Ireland
- Lakeland
- Lidl GB
- Mi Hub Limited
- Mura Technology
- Ocado Retail
- Open 3P data standard
- Open Data Manchester CIC
- Open Data Services (ODS)
- PackUK
- Renewable Energy Association
- Retail Institute
- re-universe
- Robinsons Packaging
- Sharpak
- SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK Ltd
- TerraCycle
- Tesco
- The Compleat Food Group
- University of the West of England (UWE Bristol)
- Veolia
- Woodly Bioplastic Ltd
- Xampla
- Yeo Valley
The pact is the successor to the UK Plastics Pact, and is a voluntary agreement that widens the focus to all materials commonly used in packaging. Now organisations producing products from food and drink, beauty care, pet products and household goods have the chance to join and transform packaging, according to Wrap.
Catherine David, CEO of the NGO, commented: “Collaboration works and it’s delivering real change.
“Unrecyclable black plastic is gone, recycling is rising, and unnecessary packaging is disappearing. But the scale of the challenge demands more. Plastic pollution remains a global crisis, and with the failure to secure a global treaty, the need for bold, systemic action has never been greater.”
She added: “We must accelerate the step change to circular living, driving reuse, tackling plastic film, and enabling the impact of upcoming recycling reforms. This is collective action at its most ambitious and essential, and Wrap is proud to lead the charge toward a truly circular future.”
By developing a “whole value chain” approach with the UK Packaging Pact, Wrap is confident it will continue to bring together academics, SMEs, innovators, leading retailers, FMCG brands, and recyclers to help reshape the packaging system.
The UK Packaging Pact intends to fill the supermarket of 2035 with products in minimal, efficient packaging designed for reuse and remove single-use packaging from our everyday waste stream. It also expects to usher in more widely used easily recyclable packaging, with reduced carbon, as well as drive out problematic and unnecessary packaging items.
Mary Creagh, circular economy minister, remarked: “Government and businesses must ensure packaging is used time and time again.
“Our new extended producer responsibility scheme will turbocharge this shift to more sustainable packaging. I pay tribute to the 55 world-leading companies who have signed up to the UK Packaging Pact and pledged to go further and faster in delivering greener packaging.”
Jeremy Blake, PackUK CEO, said: “This ambitious initiative represents the collaborative approach we need to drive real, lasting change.
“No single organisation can solve the packaging challenge alone – but by pooling expertise and insights across industry and government, we can break down the barriers and accelerate the shift to truly circular packaging at scale.”
