UK Food Industry Lobbying Delays £1.7 Billion Plastic Packaging Tax
The UK government's introduction of a £1.7 billion packaging tax has been delayed due to lobbying by major food industry groups. This tax, part of the extended producer responsibility scheme, aims to transfer waste management costs to packaging producers. It was postponed after industry complaints, highlighting ongoing tensions between environmental policies and economic concerns.
In a significant policy shift influenced by industry lobbying, the UK government's plan to implement a £1.7 billion plastic packaging tax has been deferred by a year.
The tax, part of the extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme, was designed to make packaging producers bear the costs of waste collection and recycling.
Initially, the tax was scheduled to take effect this month, imposing fees up to £605 per tonne on companies based on their packaging use.
However, lobbying efforts by three major trade bodies, representing numerous food and drink companies, led the government to postpone its implementation.
These bodies include the Food and Drink Federation, the British Retail Consortium, and the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment.
Documents acquired by the Observer and Democracy for Sale reveal that intense private meetings with government officials resulted in the deferment.
Lamenting the government's decision, Rudy Schulkind of Greenpeace UK criticized the 'dither and delay' in Tory policy.
The scheme was expected to launch in 2023, having been first proposed in 2018, but has faced continuous delays.
The Food and Drink Federation insists on being central to the recycling strategy, advocating for a system that boosts recycling rates without inflating food prices.
The tax, part of the extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme, was designed to make packaging producers bear the costs of waste collection and recycling.
Initially, the tax was scheduled to take effect this month, imposing fees up to £605 per tonne on companies based on their packaging use.
However, lobbying efforts by three major trade bodies, representing numerous food and drink companies, led the government to postpone its implementation.
These bodies include the Food and Drink Federation, the British Retail Consortium, and the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment.
Documents acquired by the Observer and Democracy for Sale reveal that intense private meetings with government officials resulted in the deferment.
Lamenting the government's decision, Rudy Schulkind of Greenpeace UK criticized the 'dither and delay' in Tory policy.
The scheme was expected to launch in 2023, having been first proposed in 2018, but has faced continuous delays.
The Food and Drink Federation insists on being central to the recycling strategy, advocating for a system that boosts recycling rates without inflating food prices.
