The British Beer and Pub Association today responded to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs’s consultation on Extended Producer Responsibility, highlighting the lack of clarity and high cost of current proposals.
Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association said:
“Britain’s Brewers are playing a leading role in the development of sustainable packing and recycling solutions, with companies investing significant sums to ensure sustainability from the beginning of the production process to the final sale.
“However, the Government’s proposed regulations are complicated and burdensome, and lack the clarity and detail necessary for producers and brand owners to budget accordingly, and plan for the price impacts of EPR to their businesses. Moreover, we remain some way from the set-up and fully operational Scheme Administrator or critical information on the base fees producers will be required to pay on packaging placed on the market in 2024. Businesses simply cannot adequately prepare for a scheme with so little information available so close to its implementation.
“The proposals as they stand will add hundreds of millions of pounds to business costs in the next few years for our sector alone, with limited evidence they will achieve their aims, and a strong possibility they will severely damage a sector that provides over £26bn of value for the British economy. A full business impact assessment of the combined EPR reforms is vital before implementation of these regulations. Business recycling targets should also be frozen whilst packaging recovery notes (PRN) prices remain artificially high, at a time when cost inflation remains such a huge challenge.
“As a sector we recognise the important role of packaging schemes play in our broader work towards reducing environmental impact and contributing towards a circular economy. We are committed to continue our work with Government to ensure efficient and effective schemes are implemented. However, an exponential increase in costs and complexity of the magnitude being pushed through, without proper consideration of the tight operating margins sectors like ours work to, as well as the sector’s precarious position overall, is a hammer blow to an industry with the potential to become a vital engine of growth for the British economy with the right support.”
ENDS
For more information or to arrange an interview contact press@beerandpub.com / 020 7627 9199
About the British Beer & Pub Association
The BBPA represents UK companies which between them brew over 90% of the beer sold in the UK and own 20,000 pubs.
Our members include international companies, national and local brewers and pub businesses operating managed and tenanted pubs in cities, towns and villages across the country.
These businesses are at the heart of communities and local economies and include family businesses who have been brewing beer and running pubs for hundreds of years alongside emerging brewers and pub operators.
- The UK’s beer and pub industry supports close to 940,000 jobs
- The industry adds £26.2billion to the UK’s economy each year
For more information or to arrange an interview contact press@beerandpub.com / 020 7627 9199
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