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Extended Producer Responsibility reforms delayed for UK packaging industry.

11 February 2026  |  Industry News

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) reforms, which would require producers to take responsibility for the full net cost recovery of packaging they place on the market, have been delayed.

In its initial timeline first published in the Resources and Waste Strategy, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the new EPR system was to be phased in from 2023.

While plans for the Extended Producer Responsibility reforms are still underway, no new date indication has been given, and a new timeline is expected to be announced.

UPDATE: On March 26, Defra released the consultation outcome here. EPR will be phased in from 2024 and the current £2m turnover and 50t of packaging handled threshold will remain the same for reporting and financing obligations. However, a new threshold of £1m turnover and 25t of packaging handled will be introduced for smaller producers.

The PRN/PERN system will remain to demonstrate recycling obligations have been met. However, a new fee will be introduced (in addition to PRN/PERNs) for payments to local authorities and councils (local councils in Northern Ireland) for collection of household packaging waste, and on the go packaging disposed of in street bins.

Defra have published a consultation, Reforms to the Packaging Waste Recycling Note (PRN) and Packaging Waste Export Recycling Note (PERN) System and Operator Approval, which is open for responses until May 21, 2022 here.

As a result, the current Packaging Recovery Note (PRN) system will remain in place throughout next year and a statutory instrument will be introduced to set recycling targets for the 2023 compliance period.

Defra also raised concerns that if the scheme administrator could not be operational in time, this could lead to poor data, which would risk undermining the scheme.

Following the news of the delay, the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) has warned “urgent action” is needed to increase recycling rates. The NIC has urged for the finalising of policies on EPR, deposit return schemes, recycling consistency and bans on certain types of plastics.