Draft Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

Nia Griffith Excerpts

Tuesday 9th December 2025 General Committees

[Dame Nia Griffith (Llanelli) (Lab)]

I welcome that these regulations give credit to those companies that already operate a closed-loop system. I secured a Westminster Hall debate on this issue back in 2023 after it had been brought to my attention by Wiltshire Farm Foods, which has a facility that I have had the pleasure of visiting in Burry Port in my constituency. The business delivers ready-made meals to its customers, largely on a very regular basis, so it is in an excellent position to collect the empties when making the next delivery. That enables the business to recycle materials for use in future packaging, thus saving on using new materials.

I am grateful to the then Minister—the former Member for Taunton Deane—and the current Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry East (Mary Creagh), and officials in the Department for listening to our concerns and carrying out the necessary work to bring forward this legislation to reward rather than penalise the operation of this closed-loop system.

I also welcome the measure to enable the appointment of a producer responsibility organisation. To ensure the scheme works effectively, and to influence the scheme’s further development, it is vital that producers are fully involved. However, I reiterate my concerns about steel and glass, which are perversely affected because the current EPR fee methodology prioritises material weight, meaning that heavier materials such as steel and glass face higher fees even though they are very easily recyclable, while lighter, less recyclable plastics gain a competitive edge. This particularly affects companies in my constituency, including the famous Felinfoel brewery, Parsons Pickles and Tata Steel’s Trostre tinplate works, which produces materials used to make food cans.

There has been talk of future adjustments, and I know from the response of the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry East, in Westminster Hall a fortnight ago that she has met the steel and glass industries, but I stress again the urgent need to reform EPR fees to reward the genuine recyclability and circular value of steel and glass. Change needs to be implemented soon so that businesses are not left struggling. The worry for the steel industry is that its food-producing customers will turn away from tin cans to materials that attract a lower fee, and that the business will be lost forever.

I have continuing concerns about dual use and double charging, but that is a discussion for another day. I appreciate the Minister’s response a fortnight ago outlining the complexity of the situation and the lack of consensus on the issues she has encountered. I know she is committed to getting this right, as is the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, so my plea is simply that they resolve the issues as soon as is practical. That would be very much appreciated.