UK Government to reduce EPR costs for pubs and hospitality businesses

The UK Government has announced changes to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations that will remove certain packaging waste charges for pubs, restaurants and other licensed hospitality businesses from April 2027.

Under the revised arrangements, glass drinks containers supplied directly by producers to licensed hospitality venues will no longer be subject to EPR fees. The change is intended to prevent businesses from being charged twice for recycling the same packaging.

According to government estimates, the exemption could reduce costs by up to 6p per beer bottle and 10p per wine bottle. A pub selling 10,000 bottles of beer and 3,700 bottles of wine annually could save up to £870 per year.

The announcement forms part of wider government measures affecting the UK glass industry and the operation of packaging waste regulations.

The Government also plans to review how packaging EPR fees are calculated, with the aim of linking charges more closely to the recyclability of different materials. Under the proposed approach, materials that are easier to recycle, such as glass and paper, could attract lower fees, while more difficult-to-recycle packaging, including certain plastics, could face higher charges.

The Government estimates that the proposed changes could reduce annual fees for some of the most recyclable packaging materials by up to 40%.

We’ve listened to industry and hospitality businesses and are stepping in to reduce the fees for the most recyclable packaging – including tackling double charging on glass bought by pubs.

This government is committed to supporting British business and these changes back the glass industry and pubs while making sure we’re all doing our bit to reduce waste.

Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle.

Packaging EPR was introduced to transfer more of the financial responsibility for managing packaging waste to producers and encourage the use of more recyclable materials. The Government stated that £1.4 billion has already been provided to local authorities through the scheme to support improvements to recycling services.

Separately, the independent Trade Remedies Authority is conducting investigations into imports of glass containers from China and Turkey. These include an anti-dumping investigation concerning Chinese imports and a subsidy investigation involving Turkish imports.

A provisional anti-dumping measure on Chinese glass container imports was introduced on 9 September following a recommendation from the authority. Both investigations remain ongoing.

Further reviews of packaging regulations are also planned. A call for evidence on increasing the reuse of packaging by businesses is expected to launch next month, examining opportunities to reduce packaging waste and plastic consumption.

In early 2027, PackUK is scheduled to launch a separate call for evidence examining the fees manufacturers pay for packaging waste, including how charges could better reflect material recyclability.

The Government said it remains committed to the principle that producers should contribute to the costs of managing packaging waste, while reviewing the scheme's impact on different industries and businesses.