Soft drinks brand Fentimans has issued a warning against incoming legislation that requires producers like them to fund the costs of recycling packaging waste.
The Hexham-based brewer of glass-bottled botanical drinks, sold across the world, says food and drink makers using glass packaging face an unfair burden from the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, which is largely set to come into force from next year. Fentimans boss Ian Bray says producers using plastic and aluminium packaging are due to be part of the upcoming Deposit Return Scheme in October 2027, but in the meantime will not be subject to the Government scheme, which imposes fees on businesses.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) estimates for those fees, published earlier this year, were said to have angered glass producers and modifications later made by the department were said not to have gone far enough, according to industry body British Glass. Alongside soft drinks contemporary Belvoir Farm, Fentimans said that while the tweaks to the base fees were a "small step" in lowering the price of glass per tonne, there is still work needed to avoid the demise of small businesses.
Mr Bray: "The current indicative EPR base fees, calculated based on the weight of packaging materials, place a disproportionate burden on those using glass packaging compared to other materials. Plastic and aluminium are due to be part of the incoming DRS (Deposit Return Scheme) in October 2027 but will not be subject to EPR fees in the meantime, meaning they benefit from an additional two years without waste policy costs which will further incentivise material switching."
He added: : “As a SME in the soft drinks sector that relies heavily on glass packaging, I know I’m not alone in being deeply concerned about the soon-to-be-introduced Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, and what this will mean for other British, independent businesses like us. Everyone is tuned into recognisable tax hikes such as NI and Living Wage increases, but very few, including consumers, are aware of the EPR Scheme and the impact it will have on businesses and in potential cost increases for consumers.
"It is not about being opposed to the scheme, but in the fairness of how it is being rolled out. Glass is expected to be hit hardest due to its weight, despite being infinitely recyclable and the best possible material for enabling a greener, more sustainable future. Fentimans will always support sustainable practices and the principles behind the EPR scheme. However, in its current form, despite revisions being made by DEFRA, the EPR proposals unfairly impact glass when compared to other packaging materials such as plastic and aluminium, and we believe urgent intervention is needed.
"The proposed fees are much higher than expected, and implementation without revision will be devastating for SMEs like Fentimans and will lead to investment being diverted outside the Ƶ. As a business that has manufactured in the Ƶ for over 120 years, that’s a very sad prospect.
"To avoid the decimation of soft drinks and other products in glass, the Government must delay the introduction of EPR to keep it in line with the introduction of DRS as originally intended, as this will restore some cost parity between glass and other packaging materials. If the Government moves ahead with these plans as they stand, small businesses like ours will go bust. We simply can’t pass these costs to the consumer."
A Defra spokesperson said: “We are committed to cracking down on waste as we move towards a circular economy. Extended producer responsibility for packaging is a vital first step for our packaging reforms which will create 21,000 jobs and stimulate more than £10bn investment in the recycling sector over the next decade.
“We continue to work closely with businesses, including the glass industry, on these reforms. We set out illustrative fees which are lower for almost all categories than originally proposed, including for glass.”
