New analysis signifies that almost all (70%) of British shoppers admit they’re confused by what packaging can and may’t be recycled.
Undertaken by Aquapak, a developer of supplies supposed to enhance plastic recycling, the research stories that only one in 5 (21%) say they at all times learn the recycling directions on product packaging; this will increase to nearly one in three (31%) within the 25 – 34 age group however drops to 17% for these aged 65 and over. Nonetheless, nearly one in ten (9%) say they by no means trouble studying whether or not the packaging they’ve purchased might be recycled.
The survey additionally factors to an issue with the recycling directions producers are utilizing on their packaging. Solely 10% of Brits say they at all times discover directions on learn how to get rid of packaging simple to grasp, over half 52% describing them as “typically” comprehensible and simply 29% saying they’re “typically” simple to grasp. When requested which on a regular basis packaging is the simplest to get rid of and recycle, over half (53%) said paper; adopted by glass (18%), plastic (13%), blended supplies (9%) and metallic (e.g. aluminium) (7%).
The findings spotlight the large problem the Authorities faces in the case of the 12 million tonnes of packaging waste thrown away within the UK yearly,2 a big proportion of which is plastic or advanced versatile packaging utilizing typical plastic which is tough to kind and recycle. To deal with the issue, the Authorities launched Prolonged Producer Accountability (EPR) on 1 January 2025, which is meant to shift the accountability from shoppers to producers, incentivizing them to create recyclable packaging and offering clearer steering to shoppers, finally resulting in a extra simple and fewer complicated recycling course of.
EPR mandates the usage of universally comprehensible labels on packaging, indicating whether or not an merchandise is recyclable or not, simplifying the method for shoppers. By making producers financially answerable for the gathering and recycling of their packaging, EPR encourages them to design merchandise and packaging which can be simpler to recycle and reuse, decreasing the quantity of difficult-to-recycle materials available on the market. EPR additionally goals to fund enhancements in recycling infrastructure and training, additional supporting simpler and extra environment friendly recycling practices.
Aquapak is looking on the Authorities to make sure that laws underpinning EPR permits producers to make use of new supplies if they’re to lower the whole environmental affect of their merchandise by transferring away for exhausting to recycle typical plastics.
Dr John Williams, Chief Technical Officer at Aquapak, commented: “Our analysis findings counsel that there’s a very lengthy technique to go in the case of making packaging recyclability within the UK simple to grasp for the buyer, significantly as a lot of it incorporates exhausting to recycle plastic materials. There must be a big shift away from the established order for packaging. New laws ought to assist sooner adoption of innovation that’s particularly developed to retain packaging performance, assist recyclability and provide secure finish of life choices if optimum waste administration processes will not be accessible.
“We’d additionally argue that if the goal of EPR is to make sure that producers actively have interaction in sustainable practices and reduce the whole environmental affect from their merchandise and packaging, we are able to’t hold utilizing the identical instruments and supplies to repair the issue. Prolonged accountability should additionally imply an extension to incorporate the usage of confirmed new supplies to assist producers recycle extra successfully with out compromising the integrity of their merchandise.”
Aquapak has developed a putatively marine-safe, non-toxic polymer expertise referred to as Hydropol.
Notes
[1] Analysis carried out with 751 UK adults by Shopper Intelligence 1 February 2025
