August 2019
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference examined the next steps for food packaging and waste policy across the UK.
It took place in the context of the Resources and Waste Strategy which sets out the Government’s approach to reducing food and plastic waste - including setting a target of eliminating avoidable waste of all kinds by 2050.
It provided an opportunity for policymakers and stakeholders to discuss the impact and future balance of industry-led and government-mandated targets; how best to improve the coordination of local collections; and priorities for the new Food Surplus and Waste Champion.
Attendees considered what more can be done to develop and innovate food packaging.
It followed the launch of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee inquiry into plastic food and drink packaging - which seeks to assess the impact of government plastic reduction measures, barriers to innovation and whether more funding and support is needed.
The agenda included latest thinking on what is needed to increase the recyclability of packaging and on reducing packaging whilst maintaining the shelf-life of products.
Delegates also assessed the impact of strategies aimed at changing business practice and consumer behavior, looking at the role of producer responsibility, industry-led schemes and taxation policy going forward.
Discussion reflected key issues from the recent consultations on a plastic packaging tax, reforming UK packaging producer responsibility, the ongoing Courtauld Commitment 2025, and the UK Plastics Pact.
Delegates discussed the challenges associated with the proposed DRS - including design of collection points, potential increased costs and duplicated waste collections - as well as the impact on business and local authorities, with the consultation held on DRS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Further sessions considered whether there should be more alignment on what is able to be recycled across the UK following the consultation on consistency in household and business recycling collections in England - and what more can be done to engage consumers, and support local authorities and environmental services organisations to improve the efficiency of their recycling services.
Delegates also discussed what more retail, the food and farming industries, and food redistribution organisations need to do to drive behaviour change and food waste reduction, as well as how to manage unavoidable food waste.
It came with the Food Surplus and Waste Champion putting increasing pressure on the food industry by asking them to sign up to a pledge committing to reducing food waste.
