British Glass challenges UK EPR weight-based fee structure
British Glass is pressing the UK government to change its extended producer responsibility scheme, arguing that weight-based charging pushes glass's compliance costs far above its share of packaging volume and is prompting brand owners to switch to lighter materials. The association says glass accounts for less than 5% of UK packaging by volume but bears around 30% of total pEPR costs, and links the issue to import competition and domestic furnace investment. Defra has engaged with the sector, and reporting points to possible temporary fee relief for glass, though no intervention has been confirmed.
Why this mattersIf weight-based EPR fees keep favouring lighter formats, UK container-glass furnace utilisation and future rebuild investment are at risk, reshaping material choice for food and drink packaging.
- British Glass says glass is under 5% of UK packaging volume but bears around 30% of pEPR costs.
- An earlier British Glass survey found 43% of brands and retailers were considering switching away from glass, mostly to plastic.
- Provisional UK anti-dumping duties on some Chinese container-glass imports were introduced in September 2026.
- A significant share of UK container-glass manufacturing is concentrated in northern England.
- Glass is excluded from the planned UK deposit return scheme for drinks containers, unlike plastic bottles and metal cans.
- Defra has continued engagement with British Glass, with reports of possible temporary fee relief for glass, not yet confirmed.
- British Glass launched the Back British-made Glass Charter on 16 September 2026 at a parliamentary reception hosted by the Glass & Glazing Collective
- The charter sets out five commitments including a level playing field and sustainable domestic production
- British Glass says the sector contributes over GBP 2 billion annually to the UK economy and supports more than 120,000 jobs
- Electric Glass Fiber UK closed last year with about 250 job losses, ending UK continuous filament glass fibre production
- The Back British-made Glass Charter was launched on 16 September 2026 at a Glass and Glazing Collective parliamentary reception.
- British Glass says UK glass manufacturing contributes more than GBP 2 billion (USD 2.7bn) a year and supports over 120,000 supply-chain jobs.
- Signatories including MPs, businesses and public bodies pledge to support strategic procurement favouring domestic glass, without a mandatory buy-British policy.
- British Glass cites the prior-year closure of Electric Glass Fiber UK, which cut about 250 jobs and ended UK continuous filament glass fibre production, as evidence of sector erosion.
- Defra's Extended Producer Responsibility scheme is expected to raise about GBP 1.6bn a year
- Five of the UK's six main glass packaging manufacturers are overseas-owned
- The UK glass industry is valued at GBP 1.3bn and supports more than 100,000 jobs
- Breweries and the pub industry have urged a rethink of the levy, saying it favours lighter plastic packaging