British Glass has submitted a formal evidence report to the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) highlighting unintended consequences of the planned extended producer responsibility (pEPR) scheme on domestic glass production. The industry body argues that the packaging reform, intended to boost circular economy practices, could damage Britain's manufacturing base.
The pEPR framework imposes responsibility on producers to manage end-of-life packaging waste. For glass manufacturers, the scheme creates cost burdens and compliance complexities that smaller and mid-sized producers struggle to absorb. Competitors operating outside stricter regulatory regimes may gain cost advantages, potentially shifting production overseas.
The dispute underscores a core tension in UK industrial policy: environmental regulation versus manufacturing competitiveness. DEFRA faces pressure to balance climate commitments with protection of domestic glass capacity, a sector already dealing with rising energy costs and supply chain pressures. The outcome will signal how the government weighs environmental targets against factory-floor realities.
