Fifty-five companies, including major retailers and producers such as Arla, ASDA, Biffa, Lidl, Tesco and Yeo Valley, have signed up to the new UK Packaging Pact, a voluntary initiative designed to overhaul how packaging is designed, used and recovered across the country. The pact, officially launching in April 2026, builds on the legacy of the UK Plastics Pact, which is set to conclude after seven years of industry collaboration. Keep reading as we delve deeper into this business sustainability initiative.
A broader, more inclusive approach
While the UK Plastics Pact focused narrowly on food and drink packaging, the new UK Packaging Pact expands its remit to include beauty, household, and pet care products. Led by WRAP and supported by PackUK and the UK Government, the initiative will convene businesses, academics, SMEs, and recyclers to deliver a whole-system shift towards circular packaging.
The pact’s overarching ambition is to fully integrate packaging into the circular economy, ensuring materials are not just recyclable, but designed to stay in use through reuse, refill, and improved recovery systems.
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Four key goals driving action
To drive this shift, the UK Packaging Pact sets out four core objectives:
- Optimise packaging to eliminate unnecessary materials and improve design;
- Scale reuse and refill models across retail and product categories;
- Support circular infrastructure investment, enabling systems change;
- Harmonise packaging data, improving traceability and decision-making.
These goals align closely with upcoming policy reforms, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), Simpler Recycling, and Deposit Return Schemes (DRS). The pact will serve both as a test-bed for implementation and a feedback mechanism for future regulatory design.
Lessons from the Plastics Pact
Alongside the announcement, WRAP published a progress report on the UK Plastics Pact, highlighting notable achievements since its 2018 launch. These include:
- Elimination of 99.9 percent of problematic plastics in target sectors;
- 70 percent of plastic food packaging now reusable, recyclable or compostable;
- A near doubling of plastic recycling rates to 53 percent;
- Recycled content in packaging tripling from 8.5 percent to 28 percent.
While progress has been significant, WRAP’s leadership acknowledged that further systemic change is needed, particularly in the absence of a binding global treaty on plastic pollution.
Looking ahead: A critical test for UK circularity
The UK Packaging Pact arrives at a time when momentum for a circular economy is growing, yet concerns remain about the pace of government action. Environmental groups have criticised the recent Autumn Budget for lacking bold reforms to accelerate circular infrastructure.
Nevertheless, the early sign-on of major retailers signals cross-sector appetite for deeper collaboration. As WRAP and PackUK prepare for the pact’s official launch in 2026, its success will hinge on sustained industry leadership, policy alignment, and meaningful investment in systems that move packaging from waste to resource.
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Dedicated to harnessing the power of storytelling to raise awareness, demystify, and drive behavioural change, Bronagh works as the Communications & Content Manager at the Institute of Sustainability Studies. Alongside her work with ISS, Bronagh contributes articles to several news media publications on sustainability and mental health.
