Packaging Producer Responsibility
Register for EPR, report packaging data, and meet recycling obligations through PRN/PERN purchases or compliance schemes.
Manufacturing & Engineering
UK-wide
Packaging Design Requirements
Meet essential requirements and labelling standards for packaging.
Guide summary
Design your packaging to use only the minimum weight and volume needed. Make sure it can be reused, recycled, or used for energy recovery. Keep heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium) below 100 parts per million in total. If you say your packaging is recyclable, at least 75% of UK councils must be able to recycle it. For food contact packaging, follow safety rules including migration limits and keep a Declaration of Compliance at each stage of the supply chain.
- Use only the minimum packaging weight and volume needed
- Design packaging for reuse, recycling, or energy recovery
- Keep heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium) under 100 ppm total
- If you claim recyclability, it must be true for 75%+ of UK local authorities
- Join OPRL to use official recycling labels (voluntary but common)
- Lower EPR fees if your packaging is recyclable or uses recycled content
- For food contact: ensure materials are safe and do not transfer harmful substances
- Plastic food packaging must pass migration tests (overall limit 10mg/dm²)
- Keep a Declaration of Compliance for plastic, ceramic, and cellulose food contact materials
- Keep traceability records – know who supplied you and who you supplied
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All packaging placed on the UK market must meet essential requirements covering minimum weight, recyclability, and hazardous substance limits. These requirements aim to reduce environmental impact while ensuring packaging serves its purpose.
Essential requirements
- Minimum weight: Use only the packaging volume and weight necessary
- Recovery: Design for reuse, recycling, or energy recovery
- Hazardous substances: Minimize harmful content
- Heavy metals: 100 ppm maximum for lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium
On-pack labelling
While OPRL labelling is voluntary, consumer protection law requires recyclability claims to be accurate. Claims should reflect what 75%+ of UK local authorities can actually recycle.
Food contact materials
Materials intended to contact food must be safe and not transfer harmful substances. The Food Standards Agency enforces these requirements under the Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (England) Regulations 2012.
General requirements:
- Materials must not transfer constituents in harmful quantities
- Must not change food composition, taste, or odour unacceptably
- Declaration of Compliance required at each supply chain stage
- Full traceability through supply chain
Plastics-specific rules: Plastic food contact materials have specific migration limits (10mg/dm² overall) and a positive list of authorised substances. New formulations require migration testing using appropriate food simulants.