EPR scheme administrator launches as PackUK

The scheme administrator will be responsible for implementing pEPR.  

The pEPR Statutory Instrument came into force on 1 January 2025 and the first fees will be collected in October this year.  

PackUK will be responsible for setting the pEPR fees, collecting the fees from obligated producers and issuing packaging waste disposal payments to local authorities.  

The scheme administrator will also be responsible for public communications and information campaigns surrounding packaging waste.  

It will sit within Defra and deliver pEPR on behalf of all four nations. In Wales it will be run under the name PecynUK. 

An “interim scheme administrator steering group” was launched in January 2024 to guide the implementation up until this point. The group was chaired by Sebastian Munden and headed by Margaret Bates.  

Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO)

In October 2024, the government wrote to the steering group to confirm its support for an industry-led Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) to be created. The PRO is likely to manage the practical aspects of pEPR. PackUK will now be responsible for the appointment of the PRO.  

In a statement made yesterday (16 January 2025), Defra said: “We have established a codesign process to take this PRO forward, involving members of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) convened PRO Steering Group as well as local authorities and other representatives from across the value chain. We will act on the recommendations of this group, to maximise value chain involvement whilst providing robust governance for PackUK.” 

First public event to be held in Birmingham 

To mark its launch, PackUK will host the Packaging Innovations Birmingham conference from 12 to 13 February 2025. 

This event will feature speakers and industry figures sharing key knowledge, breakout sessions and opportunities to engage directly with the PackUK team. 

Sebastian Munden will host the initial launch session with guest speakers Emma Bourne, David McPhee, Rhodri Asby and Shane Doris representing their respective nations. 

This will be followed by a session chaired by Mary Creagh from Defra which will discuss aspirations for pEPR.