For years, packaging design was mostly about shelf appeal and protecting the product. Sustainability mattered, but it rarely showed up on the balance sheet. That has changed.
What’s happening
Under the UK’s packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) scheme, obligated producers pay towards the cost of dealing with household packaging waste. From the 2026–27 year, those fees are “modulated” according to recyclability. Each piece of packaging is rated red, amber or green under the government’s Recyclability Assessment Methodology, with green the most recyclable.
Red-rated packaging pays a premium, and the premium is set to rise each year: 1.2 times the base disposal fee in 2026–27, 1.6 times in 2027–28 and double in 2028–29. To give a sense of scale, the scheme administrator’s illustrative 2026–27 rates put green-rated plastic at roughly £415 per tonne and red-rated plastic at about £545 per tonne. Final fees for this year are due to be calculated in November.
Across the Channel, most of the EU’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation applies from August 2026, so businesses exporting to Europe face design requirements on both sides.
Why it’s a design issue
Many of the things that make packaging hard to recycle are design decisions: mixed materials bonded together, heavy metallic inks or foils, plastic windows in cardboard boxes, or laminated finishes. A format chosen today may stay in production for years while the premiums climb.
What good packaging design looks like now
- Mono-materials wherever possible, so packs can be sorted and recycled easily.
- Removing what isn’t needed: extra sleeves, inserts or windows that add cost but little value.
- Print and finishes chosen with recycling in mind, using inks, coatings and embellishments that don’t compromise the material.
- Clear on-pack recycling guidance that’s legible and consistent.
- Brand impact from structure, colour and typography rather than layers of material.
The good news is that well-designed sustainable packaging often looks better. Simple, honest materials and confident graphics feel modern and trustworthy, and customers increasingly notice.
A good moment to review
If you sell packaged products, now is an ideal time to look at your range. Even small changes to your best-selling packs can make a meaningful difference. Your compliance scheme or adviser can confirm your obligations and current ratings; we can help with the design side.
Planning new packaging or a refresh of your range? Get in touch to talk about designs that look great and recycle well.
Sources
- How eco-modulated EPR fees are changing packaging economics, Packaging Gateway
- UK to charge packaging fees based on recyclability, Packaging Gateway