Labelling Solutions The importance of labelling
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging includes mandatory labelling for recycling. Jude Allan, Interim MD at OPRL, which currently manages the only compliant label, explains what the changes will mean.
A
s consumers, we encounter a multitude of labels every day. Labels inform us of weights and ingredients, as well as the price of our breakfast cereal and washing instructions for our clothes. Labels are everywhere, and it is not surprising that it is to labels that consumers fi rst turn for information on how to recycle.
WHY DO WE NEED LABELS? Simply, without recycling labels, confusion reigns. According to WRAP, 83 per cent of respondents to its Recycling Tracker were recycling materials that were not included in household collections.
OPRL’s research backs this up. More than half of the respondents to our consumer survey told us they source their knowledge on how to recycle from packaging. Uncertainty represented the greatest barrier for consumers, so a move to standardised labels should have a signifi cant impact on both recycling participation and the quality of material collected.
With the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR), brands and importers face rising fees to cover the cost of recycling. Less recyclable packaging will incur
even higher fees under eco-modulation. As a result, many packaging producers are working to redesign packaging. Investing in change is time-consuming and costly, but this work will go to waste if consumers fail to place products in the right bin. Clear labelling aims to address this challenge.
LABELLING FOR EPR
Under the new regulations, by 1 April 2027 every single piece of primary and shipment packaging, including plastic fi lm and fl exibles, must be labelled with the Recycle Now mark and the appropriate ‘Recycle’ or ‘Do Not Recycle’ wording.
These recycling labels must be in supply by 1 April 2027. This means that, while products already on shelf or in distribution do not need to be relabelled anything that is produced after that date will need to feature recycling labels. That means that recyclability will have been assessed, packaging designs and artworks updated and printed packaging materials in production halls.
For many businesses, especially those with numerous product lines and suppliers, and/ or complex packaging composition, assessing recyclability poses a huge challenge. It is not
enough to know that packaging is recyclable; brands must also be able to evidence their claims. As Defra confi rm the Recycling Assessment Methodology (RAM) OPRL will be integrating and updating our labels and working with our members to ensure the maximum levels of compliance as seamlessly as possible.
TRUST AND CREDIBILITY
Under pEPR, businesses will have access to the elements for pEPR-compliant labelling. However, when it comes to proving recyclability and labelling products accordingly, they need to be confi dent that claims stand up to scrutiny. In OPRL’s consumer research, businesses ranked the lowest levels of trust for producing their own recycling labels, so any recycling claims must not only meet compliance requirements, but also address consumer confi dence.
ASSESSING RECYCLABILITY
Assessing recyclability is complex. For example, OPRL metrics for the ‘Recycle’ label encompass the whole supply chain. Before it can qualify for the ‘Recycle’ label, packaging must be collected from households by at least three-quarters of UK local authorities. It must also be sorted, processed and sold as recyclate for use in new packaging or products.
We source this information via a network of stakeholders. For example, OPRL’s Technical Advisory Committee is made up of experts who ensure that information and tools are up to date and backed up with evidence. For particular materials or products, we consult material-specifi c guarantors for advice before setting recyclability guidelines.
Some products prove more challenging to assess than others. This is not helped by the fact that currently, local authority collections vary from region to region. However, with the arrival of Simpler Recycling in 2026, every English authority will be charged with collecting the same materials. Hopefully this, coupled with eco-modulation, will resolve many of the current debates and provide packaging designers with clear criteria.
30 July/August 2024
www.convertermag.com
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