Companies are using bonded materials for sandwich packaging, making it impossible to recycle. Credit: Pixzolo Photography on Unsplash.

The UK Government is set to bring a new packaging tax reform against sandwich companies in a move to reduce plastic waste.

The extended producer responsibility scheme, which is expected to be introduced by the UK Environment Secretary Michael Gove, will ask companies to pay up to 15p per pack. It will be part of a new waste strategy.

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If introduced, the scheme will make food producers, retailers and home delivery services pay the full cost of dealing with packaging, reported thetimes.co.uk.

According to a research by British Sandwich and Food to Go Association, customers are buying around four billion sandwiches annually from companies across the country.

Companies are using bonded materials such as cardboard, glue and transparent plastic for sandwich packaging, making it impossible to recycle.

“The scheme will make food producers, retailers and home delivery services pay the full cost of dealing with packaging.”

Major retailers such as Tesco and Marks and Spencer are using display boxes made of bonded packaging for various food products.

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Recycling Association CEO Simon Ellin estimated that it would add 10p-15p to prices if recycling costs were met by producers, reported the newspaper.

Ellin said: “Manufacturers and retailers use too much badly designed packaging.”

The new rule is expected to target online retailers and home delivery services such as Ocado, Deliveroo, and Amazon, as their packaging produces thousands of tonnes of waste annually.

The scheme will focus on allowing councils to impose £400 spot fines on householders who illegally dump plastic waste. It will also increase the plastic bag tax from 5p to 10p.