Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of rising costs of Packaging Recovery Notes on businesses, and if he will implement a cap on PRNs.

We are aware that prices of PRN/PERNs have increased in recent months, in particular prices for glass PRN/PERNs. We have regular engagement with industry, through our Advisory Committee, and with the regulators to understand if there are any issues within the market and the likely impact on business.

The UK operates a market-based mechanism to support the provision of evidence to show compliance with producers’ recycling obligations. Price fluctuations are a feature of any market system. Higher prices usually result from supply side issues, which in turn encourage increased activity by operators in the market, thereby increasing the level of reprocessing and reducing PRN prices. We will continue to keep the matter under review, but currently have no plans to intervene in the market and to cap PRN prices.