2025 Key Policy Requests
For the UK Plastics Industry
Key Policy Requests:
The British Plastics Federation (BPF) has three key policy asks for the current government.
i. Recognition as a ‘Foundation Industry’
ii. Improve the management of used plastic
iii. Develop medium to long-term competitiveness
““The key role which plastics play in helping to ensure national security, maintaining industrial competitiveness in a global market and enhancing the recyclability of materials and products, is critical to a sustainable and resilient future for the UK.
Our policies must be designed to drive investment, innovation and environmental responsibility in the UK plastics sector.”
Philip Law, BPF Director General
i. Recognition as a ‘Foundation Industry’
• The BPF is calling for the plastics sector to be recognised as a ‘Foundation Industry’.
• This is a term the UK government uses to identify industries that are vital to manufacturing and construction. These currently include the cement, glass, ceramics, paper, metals and bulk chemicals industries, and the BPF believes that the plastics industry has an indisputable claim to be included amongst their ranks. Plastics are used in almost every sector of the UK economy and virtually all areas of manufacturing and distribution. They are strategically important for national and economic security and an important part of the UK’s Net Zero journey.
exempt) within the PPT. This should not be linked to the phasing out of pre-consumer material within the PPT.
• The BPF is calling for the acceleration of the reform of the waste collection and packaging legislation and the maximisation of its effectiveness.
• The PPT needs to be enforced correctly and efficiently to stop fraud. 2
ii. Improve the management of used plastic
• The BPF is calling for reforms to help the plastics industry reach its potential whilst improving circularity. We would like to see the UK’s plastic recycling infrastructure expanded and improved from funds raised by the Plastics Packaging Tax (PPT).
• The BPF is calling on the government to accelerate the implementation of the mass balance accreditation method (with fuel
iii. Develop medium to long-term competitiveness
• Recruitment and labour skills shortages are a persistent concern within the UK plastics industry. The introduction of the Skills England Body along with the review of T-Levels must be swift and efficient and address the concerns of UK manufacturers.
• The BPF is calling for regulatory alignment with the EU, where it makes sense, so that trade barriers are minimised.
• To support the growth of international trade, the BPF is calling for the re-introduction of funding to support businesses in attending overseas tradeshows.
• To assist with improving productivity and reducing carbon emissions, the BPF is calling on the government to provide more grants to help companies access more energy-efficient machines.
i. Recognition as a ‘Foundation Industry’
Recognise the UK plastics industry as a ‘Foundation Industry’ that is strategically important for national and economic security. Recognition as a ‘Foundation Industry’ would not only give our sector the recognition it deserves but also boost recruitment. The negative tone towards plastics from government has contributed to long-term vacancies that are damaging the growth of this key UK manufacturing sector.
Plastic is used in virtually all areas of manufacturing and is strategically important for national security
The UK is heavily reliant on imports of raw materials. It is critical that the UK Plastics Industry continues to produce (or recycle domestically) plastic raw materials to ensure the material can be used at times when national security is threatened. Currently the UK produces less than half of the polymer it consumes. This is significantly behind many of our counterparts around the world.
Plastics have a critical role to play in enabling the UK to achieve its objectives of becoming Net Zero by 2050. This is because plastics artefacts are light in weight, durable in use and have outstanding insulation properties. The industry wants to work with government to achieve Net Zero goals.
The UK Plastics Industry at a Glance
Plastics are used in almost every sector of the UK economy including automotive, aerospace, construction, defence, energy, electrical and electronic, healthcare, food and drink, and agriculture. None of these sectors could function effectively without plastics.
During the COVID-19 pandemic the UK plastics manufacturing infrastructure played a key role in ensuring the nation could fight the pandemic. Prior to COVID-19, less than 1% of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) was manufactured in the UK but by December 2020 domestic supply reached 70%.
Top 3 Largest
MANUFACTURING SECTORS IN THE UK (BY EMPLOYMENT) 2 3 1
PLASTICS ARE AMONG THE UK’S TOP 10 EXPORTS
3.5m
TONNES OF PLASTICS MATERIALSS PROCESSED
160k PEOPLE DIRECTLY EMPLOYED
£32.8bn
PLASTICS INDUSTRY TURNOVER
1.8m
TONNES OF PLASTICS MATERIALS PRODUCED
450k
5,700 COMPANIES IN THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY Top 10
TOTAL EMPLOYMENT INCL. INDIRECT JOBS
ii. Improve the management of used plastic
Stop the Plastic Packing Tax (PPT) Fraud:
The PPT needs to be enforced correctly and efficiently to stop fraud.
The tax has not been an incentive as the amount of recycled packaging has increased from 50% in 2022 to 52% in 2023 (in line with previous years). Imported material is being sold as containing 30% recycled content with little or no proof.
The UK industry fears that this is not a level playing field and the PPT has distorted the market. Proof can only be provided through a paper trail, which is relatively easy to falsify. Better policing is needed!
We need the internationally recognised standards EN15343:2007 and ISO2209 to be introduced within the tax for a mandatory check on certification of the recycled content.
1.7M MILLION TONNES PLASTICS PACKAGING IS MANUFACTURED IN THE UK
FCM Regulations: An urgent review of the UK’s Food Contact Materials Regulations
• Urgent review needed of the FCM Regulations for the devolved nations.
• Ensure alignment with the EU.
• GB is still using 282/2008 Regulation which is outdated.
Updating the regulations will help increase the demand for recycled material and subsequently increase circularity.
1.5M MILLION TONNES OF PLASTIC IS IMPORTED INTO THE UK
HMRC Figures: 1.7million tonnes of plastic packaging were manufactured in the UK, 33% of which was exported whilst 1.5million tonnes were imported (in 2022/23). The EU remains as the UK’s largest trading partner so alignment is essential.
Both avoid paying Plastics Packaging Tax (PPT)
Packaging Reforms: Accelerate the reform of the waste collection and packaging legislation and maximise its effectiveness.
Extended Producer Responsibility
Ensuring that businesses understand their responsibilities and develop packaging formats that are recyclable.
Deposit Return Scheme
A consistent UK-wide DRS scheme, including the material type, size of containers and fee structure, is needed to increase recycling rates.
Simpler Recycling
Ensure the maintenance of quality in mixed collections through effective sorting and subsequently avoiding any further delays in implementation.
Chemical Recycling: Implementation of mass balance as a calculation method for the Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) as soon as possible.
Mass Balance
Recycled feedstock = product attributed recycled content (product D) minus losses.
Removing preconsumer material from the scope of the PPT, should be decoupled from the introduction of mass balance, as they are not heavily related.
Mass balance allows the attribution of the ‘recycled characteristic,’ to one or several products.
ii. Improve the management of used plastic
Recycling Infrastructure: Enable the expansion and improvement of plastic recycling infrastructure by investing funds raised by the Plastic Packaging Tax.
Recycling infrastructure continues to evolve
Increase Recycling Infrastructure
Funds raised from PPT is invested back into the industry
UK recycling
infrastructure grows
Funds are taken from Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT)
The aim of the tax is to increase recycling but there is a shortfall of recycling capacity in the UK and concerns about uncontrolled imports and exports of waste.
Tax funding should be ring-fenced and reinvested into the plastics recycling infrastructure and associated research.
The UK plastic recycling market conditions are extremely challenging. In 2022, the UK plastics recycling capacity was 1.1Mt and it is estimated that we have now lost around 260Kt. The delays in legislation and tough market conditions have been major contributing factors for recycling facility closures in the UK.
iii. Develop medium to long-term competitiveness
Skills: Additional support for businesses to replace lost expertise and the swift and co-ordinated deployment of the Skills England body.
The current placement length does not allow students to get involved in a manufacturing setting due to the health and safety requirements.
The BPF would like the government to review the current T level 45-day placement length as a matter of urgency, specifically within a manufacturing setting.
The BPF is calling for the inclusion of polymer-specific courses within T levels. This includes modules in technical qualifications such as polymer engineering, processing, product design and the role of polymers in sustainability.
Energy: More grants are needed for the deployment of energy-efficient machines to assist industry’s decarbonisation, productivity and competitiveness.
Energy costs
The threat of rising energy costs remains a major concern for BPF members. Ensuring there are grants in place to help the transition to a low carbon economy is essential to businesses.
iii. Develop medium to long-term competitiveness
Trade: To support the growth of international trade, re-introducing funding to support businesses wishing to attend overseas tradeshows is necessary.
The lack of clarity on regulatory alignment is damaging UK businesses manufacturing products for both the UK and EU markets.
With the fast approaching deadlines, a swift response is needed for the UK REACH consultation on the Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm).
The EU remains the UK’s largest trading partner (for the plastics industry) with over 64% of our entire trade value.
UKCA marking is one example where divergence has added costs, delays and barriers to industry.
Trade: Reinstating the Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP) for UK exhibitors at foreign trade shows and allowing industry bodies to coordinate the grant support.
Estimated ROI for the UK economy
For every one pound spend on the programme, the return on investment was forty pounds.
The UK Plastics Industry
The UK plastics industry is bristling with opportunities to take the UK forward in so many areas. This document sets out our policy requests. We would like to work in partnership with politicians to grow this UK manufacturing sector that is so critical for national and economic security.
The British Plastics Federation (BPF)
Founded in 1933, the BPF represents the third largest manufacturing sector in the UK with over 160,000 employees.
With a turnover of over £32.8bn, and as one of the top ten UK exporting sectors, the BPF has over 600 members who between them represent the entire plastics industry supply chain. This includes raw material and equipment suppliers, processors manufacturing a vast array of articles ranging from plastics packaging and building products to vehicle aerospace components and healthcare equipment. We also represent plastic recyclers and waste management companies.
Location of Plastics and Rubber Firms in the UK
