Resources
Setting out the UK’s vision for best in class design in rigid household plastic packaging. Includes plastic packaging currently classed as recyclable and the ambition for recycled content.
Updated Guidance: November 2022
- Plastic Packaging
- Eliminating problem plastics
- The UK Plastics Pact
- Plastic packaging design
- Manufacturers
- Retailers and brands
- Waste management and reprocessors
- Local Authorities
- Packaging producers
- Trade associations
We need to radically transform our relationship with single-use plastic packaging and a key part of this will be the move to reuse and refill for many everyday items we purchase.
Our latest report and research explores citizen behaviours around reuse and refill. In partnership with Asda and Unilever, we shadowed research participants across the whole of their shopping journey. From pre-shop preparation to instore experience, we evaluated how our trial participants interacted with refill zones and developed and tested a series of instore behaviour change interventions. All designed to improve the reuse and refill shopping experience for our participants.
- Plastic Packaging
- Eliminating problem plastics
- The UK Plastics Pact
- Plastic packaging design
- Global Plastics Pacts
- Reuse and refill
- Film and flexible packaging
- Reducing and preventing food waste
- Hospitality and food service
- Retailers and brands
- Trade associations
- National government and departments
- Non-governmental organisations
This report from WRAP and the University of Leeds builds on previous research to provide a quantitative assessment of possible policy interventions to reduce resource consumption and green house gas emissions associated with their production.
- Plastic Packaging
- Reuse and refill
- Waste management and end markets
- Public Sector Procurement Support
- Food and drink
- Reducing and preventing food waste
- Textiles
- Collections & recycling
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
- Electricals
- Hospitality and food service
- Manufacturers
- Textiles sourcers, producers and designers
- Waste management and reprocessors
- Local Authorities
- Packaging producers
- Trade associations
- National government and departments
Non-mechanical recycling has the potential to significantly increase the UK’s recycling rates, enable recycled content to be used back in packaging and divert valuable resources from landfill and incineration. Working alongside traditional mechanical recycling, it will have a big impact towards the redesign of our plastics system in the UK and our vision of a circular economy for plastics.
This paper sets out the WRAP’s position on the use of non-mechanical recycling technologies and how it must be effectively utilised to support the transition towards a circular economy for plastics in the UK.
- Plastic Packaging
- The UK Plastics Pact
- Plastic packaging design
- Global Plastics Pacts
- Film and flexible packaging
- Waste management and end markets
- Manufacturers
- Retailers and brands
- Waste management and reprocessors
- Local Authorities
- Packaging producers
- Trade associations
- National government and departments
- Non-governmental organisations
To meet the Courtauld Commitment 2030 food waste target and UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3, collaborative and concerted efforts to reduce food waste are required. Redistributing surplus food is one of the best ways that businesses can help to reduce the amount of food that ends up as waste.
- Food and drink
- Reducing and preventing food waste
- Surplus food redistribution
- Courtauld Commitment
- Food Waste Reduction Roadmap
- Guardians of Grub
- UN SDG 12.3
- Farmers and growers
- Hospitality and food service
- Manufacturers
- Retailers and brands
- Trade associations
- National government and departments
The UK Plastics Pact is transforming the way that the UK makes, uses and disposes of plastic.
Over halfway to our 2025 targets, the Roadmap sets out the specific milestones and activities which are critical if we are to achieve our goals in the years remaining.
- Plastic Packaging
- Eliminating problem plastics
- The UK Plastics Pact
- Plastic packaging design
- Global Plastics Pacts
- Reuse and refill
- Film and flexible packaging
- Waste management and end markets
- Hospitality and food service
- Manufacturers
- Retailers and brands
- Waste management and reprocessors
- Local Authorities
- Packaging producers
- Trade associations
- National government and departments
- Non-governmental organisations
WRAP’s Scope 3 Protocols for Food and Drink businesses are being updated
We are calling on the food and drink sector to feedback on the usability of our protocols, and the recommendations and requirements suggested for the sector.
- Food and drink
- Courtauld Commitment
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Whole chain resource efficiency
- Farmers and growers
- Hospitality and food service
- Manufacturers
- Retailers and brands
- Trade associations
- National government and departments
- Non-governmental organisations
This report summarises the methods and findings of a project to understand the impacts of enhanced material sampling on facilities that receive recyclables.
- Collections & recycling
- Collections and sorting
- Kerbside collection
- Material Recovery Facilities
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
- Retailers and brands
- Waste management and reprocessors
- Local Authorities
- Packaging producers
- Trade associations
- National government and departments
Plastics play an important role in our daily lives and can often play a critical role, for instance, in protecting food and preventing food waste. But we must take urgent action where the use of plastic is problematic or unnecessary, to stop the issues plastic presents to our environment.
UK Plastics Pact members account for two thirds of all consumer plastic packaging used in the UK and they are strengthening their ambition in the fight against plastic waste. Building on the eight problem plastics identified for elimination in 2019, six new plastic items and materials have been set for elimination.
- Plastic Packaging
- Eliminating problem plastics
- The UK Plastics Pact
- Plastic packaging design
- Global Plastics Pacts
- Hospitality and food service
- Manufacturers
- Retailers and brands
- Packaging producers
- Trade associations
- National government and departments
The research looked at:
- If packaging extends the shelf life of fruit and vegetables;
- If selling items loose enables households to buy an appropriate amount for their needs; and
- How people make decisions about when to throw away fruit and vegetables, and what role does a ‘Best Before’ date have on these decisions.
- Eliminating problem plastics
- The UK Plastics Pact
- Food and drink
- Reducing and preventing food waste
- Courtauld Commitment
- Food Waste Reduction Roadmap
- Food date labelling
- Fresh produce sector
- Manufacturers
- Retailers and brands
- Packaging producers
- Trade associations
- National government and departments
- Non-governmental organisations
Our third Annual Report provides the most complete picture of action on tackling plastic packaging waste in the UK. It combines aggregated Pact member data from right across the supply chain, with examples of members progress against the targets. This enables us pinpoint where specific action is needed.
So, three years in, what does the picture look like?
- Plastic Packaging
- Eliminating problem plastics
- The UK Plastics Pact
- Plastic packaging design
- Global Plastics Pacts
- Reuse and refill
- Film and flexible packaging
- Waste management and end markets
- Collections & recycling
- Collections and sorting
- Kerbside collection
- Hospitality and food service
- Manufacturers
- Retailers and brands
- Waste management and reprocessors
- Local Authorities
- Packaging producers
- Trade associations
- National government and departments
- Non-governmental organisations
Protecting critical water resources for food supply, for nature and for local communities.
- Food and drink
- Water stewardship
- Courtauld Commitment
- Farmers and growers
- Hospitality and food service
- Manufacturers
- Retailers and brands
- Trade associations
- National government and departments
- Non-governmental organisations