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Glass Packaging: Extended Producer Responsibility
14 May 2025
Lead MP
Sarah Champion
Rotherham
Lab
Responding Minister
Mary Creagh
Tags
Economy
Word Count: 13689
Other Contributors: 18
At a Glance
Sarah Champion raised concerns about glass packaging: extended producer responsibility in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The lead MP calls on the government to reconsider the implementation of EPR and to adopt more sensible solutions suggested by industry experts.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The glass manufacturing sector supports over 120,000 jobs and contributes £2.2 billion annually to the UK economy. However, due to the Government’s Extended Producer Responsibility policy, glass manufacturers face significant challenges such as job losses, site closures, and competition from cheaper imported glass. The current EPR fees set for glass products are particularly problematic.
Alan Gemmell
Lab
Central Ayrshire
The MP expresses pride in the local glassworks in his constituency and urges the Minister to consider sector concerns and adopt sensible solutions suggested by Sarah Champion.
Alex Mayer
Lab
Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard
Supports EPR as a way to recycle, reuse, and reduce waste. Emphasizes the role of ecoSIP in decarbonising the drinks industry with lightweight packaging, which uses 90% less CO2 than glass.
Andy Slaughter
Lab
Hammersmith and Chiswick
The hon. Lady is pointing out the double counting and negative effects of EPR on pubs and hospitality businesses in my constituency, which employ around 4,000 people. The Government needs to reconsider this policy.
Deirdre Costigan
SNP
Glasgow North East
The MP questions the sustainability of glass due to its higher transportation and recycling costs compared to other products. However, Sarah Champion points out that in Wales 95% of glass is kerbside-collected and recycled. Asked the hon. Lady if she could give way on her points regarding material-switching and evidence of its impact, though she declined. Welcomed EPR as it means producers will have to pay for recycling or disposing of packaging, reducing costs for local councils and taxpayers. Emphasized the importance of clean streets for businesses.
Allison Gardner
Lab
Stoke-on-Trent South
Highlighted the impact on pubs and breweries with slim profit margins, estimating that around 85% of EPR costs will be passed onto consumers.
Joanne Garbutt
Con
Liverpool, West Derby
Inquired about innovative packaging like wool-based products and their classification under EPR.
West Dorset
Like the hon. Lady, I have heard from several of the pubs in my constituency. The George pub saw its business rates rise significantly due to recent changes, highlighting the need for support rather than additional taxation.
Helen Morgan
LD
North Shropshire
Declares an interest as her husband is the finance director of a wine merchant. North Shropshire's breweries and pubs are fundamental to local communities, facing headwinds with the EPR scheme. Asked about the urgency of publishing base fees for producers to plan their finances adequately.
Jacob Collier
Lab
Burton and Uttoxeter
Under the current plans, brewers face more than £150 million a year in new charges. This double payment for the same waste will cost up to £2,000 a year for larger venues. In Burton’s brewing industry, which has the most brewing jobs of any constituency in the UK, the policy risks stifling growth and investment at a time when they are needed.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Discussed the recycling obligations in Northern Ireland, noting the need for financial viability of additional business obligations.
Josh Newbury
Lab
Cannock Chase
Stressed the significant concerns within the hospitality sector, particularly in relation to pubs and their financial viability under new packaging waste regulations.
Lisa Smart
LD
Hazel Grove
Robinsons Brewery in her constituency faces an additional £500,000 cost due to EPR. She agrees that unnecessary complexity and lack of clarity on levy amounts are significant concerns.
Mary Creagh
Lab
Wakefield
Discussed the costs of waste management and highlighted efforts to track down free riders, resulting in arrests for packaging export note fraud.
Will Forster
LD
Woking
Thanked Sarah Champion for securing the debate on EPR regulations and expressed support for putting pressure on the Government to address this issue.
Noah Law
Lab
St Austell and Newquay
The MP highlights unintended consequences of EPR for businesses like pubs, which already manage packaging waste through commercial contracts but face double levies under the new policy.
Sarah Champion
Lab
Rotherham
Called for a pause in the scheme and delayed implementation until 2027 to ensure fairness and prevent job losses in the glass industry.
Sonia Kumar
Lab
Dudley
Holden’s Bottling company in Dudley has written with concerns about EPR making their business uncompetitive. The MP suggests calculating fees based on volume rather than weight to incentivise sustainable materials like glass over plastic.
North East Fife
Independent distilleries in Scotland, like those in North East Fife, are concerned about the implementation of EPR due to a lack of separate bottles for hospitality and consumers. The Government should address this issue during its consultation.
Government Response
Mary Creagh
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Government Response
I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Rotherham (Sarah Champion) for asking for this debate. The aim of the reforms is to create a more circular and resource-efficient economy, with three elements: simpler recycling, DRS and extended producer responsibility for packaging. These will drive £10 billion of new investment in the British economy and create 21,000 new jobs. I have engaged extensively with businesses and stakeholders on this issue, including meetings with Heineken and British Glass, to address concerns about dual-use items and ensure fair fees. The glass sector was excluded from the deposit return scheme at their request during legislative passage. Small business exemptions are among the most generous globally, covering approximately 70% of UK businesses supplying packaging in the UK.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.