Foodservice Packaging UK MARTIN KERSH Better Networked Better Represented Better Informed 13/11/2017
Foodservice Packaging UK
SOCIETY: LOVE FOOD, HATE PACKAGING
FOODSERVICE PACKAGING INDUSTRY Grown rapidly in response to consumer demand Small % of waste, but stand out Supports circular economy aims Wants recycling recognises difficulties Wants less litter Spread far & wide (street /parks / vehicles / oceans) Disposed with food / drink Part of a much bigger on-the-go picture
The truth is they are barely recyclable at all in the everyday, commonly understood sense of the word. They cannot be recycled through any of the normal public waste collection services - who are consistently diverting them to be incinerated or sent to landfill
PCRRG MANIFESTO A PARTNERSHIP OF BUSINESSES, RECYCLERS, SUPPLIERS AND THE PUBLIC TO INCREASE THE RECOVERY AND RECYCLING OF PAPER CUPS OBJECTIVE BY 2020, THE GREATER MAJORITY OF THE UK POPULATION WILL HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION, SCHEMES AND FACILITIES THAT ENABLE USED PAPER CUPS TO BE SUSTAINABLY RECOVERED AND RECYCLED PLEDGE THE PAPER CUP SUPPLY CHAIN AGREES TO WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE PAPER CUPS ARE DESIGNED, USED, DISPOSED OF AND COLLECTED TO MAXIMISE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RECYCLING BY FURTHER INVESTMENT AND FUNDING OF RECYCLING, DISPOSAL AND COLLECTION PROJECTS
4 Aces Ltd BaxterStorey Benders Paper Cups Bio bean British Plastics Federation British Retail Consortium British Soft Drinks Association Bunzl Catering Supplies Caffe Nero Clean Up Britain (CLUB) Compass Costa/ Whitbread Group Plc Confederation of Paper Industries James Cropper Dart Products Europe DS Smith 44 BUSINESSES First Mile Foodservice Packaging Association Frugalpac Greggs Grundon Havi Global Solutions Huhtamaki UK Kotkamills Keep Britain Tidy Keep Scotland Beautiful Kent Resource Partnership LARAC Marks and Spencer Maxabel International McDonald's Restaurants Moto Hospitality Nestlé The Packaging Federation Pelican Rouge Coffee Solutions Pret a Manger Seda UK Starbucks Coffee Company Stora Enso University of Sheffield Advanced Resource Efficiency Centre Vegware Veolia Waitrose/ John Lewis Partnership Yum! Brands/ KFC
CUP CHARGES? Research 62% of public will recycle if more recycling bins +19% if LA allows cup in kerbside bin 17% say charge will encourage them to recycle more Expect funds directed to cup recycling 5p on cups = 125 million = 2.25 x PRN management Consumer has little appetite for reusables even 50p Have to be charged by everyone Extend to all non-kerbside disposed packaging? Carrier bag logic does not apply Litter will still exist Better solution
DEFRA DEPOSITS INQUIRY
COMMON AIM? More recycling Less litter THERE ARE BETTER WAYS OF ACHIEVING AIMS
ON THE GO
PACKAGING RECOVERY NOTES UK only Obligated businesses: 2million t/o & 50 tonnes + Obligation shared: Retailer 47% Brand / packer filler 38% Convertor 9% Material 8% Issued by waste reprocessors Obligated businesses / compliance agency delivering to reprocessor receive PRNs Or can buy PRNs from reprocessor or on open market from those with excess Price fluctuates
PRN SYSTEM Legally meets requirement Lacks transparency Efficient achieves good recycling rates 62 million p.a. Targets increasing Reform needed
REFORM PRN SYSTEM Produce funds to develop infrastructure & communication Businesses pay more More businesses paying Complex packaging paying more
WE VE GALVANISED OUR MEMBERS Intensive consumer research Data collection Develop solutions with Waste management Local Authorities NGO s
UK SUMMARY Packaging responded to consumer demand Cups / bottles - the front of the line Attention on most visible packaging in street Accept issue / recycling difficulty / honesty On the go plan priority Materials reduction? UK Business will have to pay more But need to be in control Collaborate with NGOs Solution = brands, retailers & packaging
Better Networked Better Represented Better Informed
DEPOSITS Sky TV Almost 36 million plastic bottles are bought every day in the UK. Less than half are recycled. We could double that number by introducing a deposit return scheme Recycling rate all plastic bottles = 57% (Recoup) All includes detergents, toiletries, bleach, DIY products.., recycling rate is lower Not covered by DRS anywhere Recycling rate drinks bottles = 74% Potential gains lower than stated Most systems exclude milk & fruit juice Collection & recycling rate for non-drinks plastic bottles may decrease with no financial incentive Source Valpak
DEPOSIT RETURN SYSTEMS UK well developed kerbside collection Recent research 70% of consumers favour household collections, 21% DRS Most vulnerable support household kerbside recycling; disabled (73%), 65+ (76%) and carless (70%) Small stores: Space Loss of business (queues, to bigger stores) Hygiene Cost 155 million pa in Scotland Cost of soft drink (20p) 65p to 1 RVM - 30,000 + 2,000 installation Rely on unredeemed deposits LA s left with lower value recyclable fraction Consumers ignore recycling facilities Cannibalisation