Sainsbury’s has warned that new UK packaging compliance costs are running to “tens of millions of pounds”, citing obligations tied to extended producer responsibility (EPR) and other waste and recycling policies.

Chief executive Simon Roberts raised the issue while urging the government not to add further taxes that could lift retail prices ahead of the budget later this month.

What is driving higher UK packaging compliance costs

Under the UK’s packaging EPR regime, producers must report detailed packaging data and fund the collection and processing of household packaging waste through fees that are being phased in.

Government guidance confirms ongoing reporting requirements, with updates through July 2025 as the scheme has bedded in.

Amendments tabled in Parliament this week aim to refine the first year of operation from January 2025, including definitions for fibre-based composites, scope for modulated fees, treatment of mergers and recognition of certain closed-loop recycling claims.

Industry body PackUK has also outlined timelines toward 2030 and begun issuing producer notices.

Plastic packaging tax and deposit return add to costs

Separate from EPR, the Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) rose on 1 April 2025 to £223.69 per tonne, with HMRC confirming the new rate and allowing mass balance accounting for chemically recycled content—changes many large retailers and suppliers must factor into 2025–26 budgets.

A UK-wide deposit return scheme (DRS) is also moving forward.

A Deposit Management Organisation was appointed in May 2025 to design and operate the scheme across England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, with current guidance pointing to set-up milestones before go-live later in the decade.

Businesses that place drinks containers on the market face labelling, data and take-back obligations once launched.

What packaging producers and retailers should watch next

The government’s “Simpler Recycling” reforms require local authorities to collect core recyclable streams by 31 March 2026, with film collections following by 2027—changes that interact with EPR fee setting and recyclability assessments.

Companies supplying the UK should track recyclability criteria, data granularity, potential modulated fees and any further legislative tweaks as the pEPR amendments progress.

For international readers exporting into Britain, the key UK keywords to monitor—and to build into compliance planning—are UK packaging EPR, packaging compliance costs, plastic packaging tax, UK deposit return scheme and recyclability labelling.

Sainsbury’s warning underscores the sector-wide impact: higher UK packaging compliance costs are now a material line item for retailers and FMCG brands operating in the market.