PackUK, as Scheme Administrator for the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) scheme, has released several publications central to its delivery:
- the 2025 base fees for the pEPR scheme to provide certainty to producers
- the first Fee Modulation Policy Statement on driving sustainable packaging choices
- a Regulatory Position Statement (Regulatory Decision in Wales) addressing producers’ concerns around the recyclability assessment obligations
- the PackUK interim strategy
PackUK has published the 2025 base fees for the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) scheme ahead of the first invoices in October 2025. Following three previous illustrative publications of estimated fees, these confirmed base fees represent a significant milestone in the implementation of the UK’s circular economy transition.
Nearly all fees have reduced compared with the illustrative base fees published in December, with glass down by 20%. The reductions result from high levels of industry compliance with reporting obligations and extensive work across the regulators and PackUK to assure and validate the data provided. The 2025 base fees are calculated using packaging tonnages reported by producers for 2024 and local authority waste management costs. The methodology has been rigorously tested with stakeholders including producers, compliance schemes, and local authorities.
The Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) scheme forms the cornerstone of the UK’s packaging reforms, which the leaders of the UK’s largest waste management companies have said will support 25,000 jobs, stimulate more than £10 billion investment in recycling capability over the next decade and fund improvements to household recycling services across the UK.
Producers can access further guidance on the gov.uk website to understand how these fees will affect their businesses.
PackUK will hold a Base Fees themed webinar on Thursday 10th July 2025 – you can sign up to register your attendance.
PackUK has also published its first Producer Fee Modulation Policy Statement for the pEPR scheme, which outlines how fees will be adjusted from 2026 onwards to incentivise the use of more recyclable packaging.
The new modulation policy establishes a three-year framework that will adjust producer fees based on packaging recyclability, as assessed through the Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) ratings. Starting from the 2026/27 financial year, the policy will apply escalating modulation factors of 1.2x, 1.6x, and 2.0x over consecutive years.
What this means in practice:
- Special provisions apply for medical packaging where regulatory requirements limit recyclability options;
- Producers of RAM Green-rated (highly recyclable) packaging will benefit from steadily decreasing fees;
- Producers of RAM Red-rated (poorly recyclable) packaging will face progressively higher fees .
