To enable more circularity and recycling, it is critical to tell your customers how to properly dispose of packaging in the most environmentally friendly manner. Our partnership with OPRL facilitates clear on pack labelling for packaging going to both businesses and households.
OPRL is a UK based scheme that provides packaging labels to inform consumers about the recyclability of packaging materials. It aims to encourage recycling and promote responsible disposal practices.
OPRL Recycling labels are used by 95% of groceries retailers and 94 of the top 100 Groceries brands. They are also recognised and inspire confidence in 3 out of 4 consumers and referenced by the UN Environment Programme as international best practice.
Applied when 75% or more of UK local authorities collect this type of packaging through household recycling collections. It is then sorted, processed, and recycled into new packaging or products.
Applied to flexible plastic wrapping such as mailing bags and voidfill. You can recycle this type of packaging at large supermarkets and recycling points.
Applied when fewer than 50% of UK local authorities collect this type of packaging through household recycling collections, and/or it can not be effectively sorted, processed and recycled into new packaging or products.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging is now underway. With its introduction, the Government will require businesses to be responsible for the packaging they place on the UK market at the end of its life.
Under EPR all packaging must be labelled, there will be no exemptions for small businesses. However, in those instances, the requirement may be on the producer that sells the small businesses the unfilled packaging to ensure the label is correct.
All packaging types (except for plastic films and flexibles) will be required to be labelled by 31 March 2026. Plastic films and flexibles by 31 March 2027.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) will be the organisation responsible for the monitoring and enforcement body of the labelling requirements.
