Circularity starts with design. This may sound like a self-evident truth, but it is one that is worth coming back to, even as barriers are broken down and collaboration across the value chain becomes more common.
Most packaging is recyclable. Paper, cardboard, glass and metals have been collected and recycled for decades, and plastics are gaining year on year, with over 70 per cent of plastics now suitable for recycling. However, the devil is in the detail – just because an individual material is recyclable, a particular packaging product may not be. Whether we’re talking about multi-material products or considerations of size, we still need to communicate with designers to ensure that future designs are compatible with systems and infrastructure. And, as we aim to eliminate single-use packaging altogether, design considerations become even more critical.
The EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is leading the way and, with the current political landscape, we can expect the UK to follow. The path to circularity will bring new demands for consumers – more engagement and different instructions – so effective communication is essential to encourage and provide them with the confidence to do the right thing.
Legislative drivers
The UK is well underway with its navigation of the RAM (recyclability assessment methodology) under pEPR. We can see from engagement with OPRL’s recyclability assessment tool that many brands are still looking for reassurance in reporting the recyclability of their products but, with every month, we move a step closer.
PPWR brings different challenges for those trading in Europe, with a legislated shift to push recycling further. Under PPWR, all packaging placed on the market must be recyclable, with increasing restrictions on the level of recyclability over the next decade. This year is expected to bring advancements – from a methodology for calculating recycled content, to harmonised labels for reusable packaging, DRS, recycled content and consumer sorting, as well as labels for waste receptacles.
It is through labelling that EU and current UK legislation will intercept most closely. Once the EU has finalised its labels under PPWR, we can expect a relatively swift response from UK government that could be a harmonised, and mandatory, label for pEPR that aligns to the PPWR requirements.[AH1.1][CC1.2][JA1.3][CC1.4]
Consumer engagement
If we are to succeed in raising recycling levels or introducing initiatives such as reuse, consumers must be engaged. OPRL research shows that consumers respond most positively when provided with additional information.
Overall, people were more likely to follow instructions when told that it is necessary for recycling. Consumers were largely keen to participate, but they also wanted to understand how their actions make a difference. Despite this, however, willingness varied depending on the action required. For example, 59 per cent were likely or much more likely to scrunch foil packaging before disposal, and 57 per cent said they would rinse packaging to remove product residue. Taking a product elsewhere was unpopular – while 74 per cent said they would empty packaging, and 64 per cent would remove film, only 44 per cent would be prepared to take it to a recycling point at a supermarket. This dropped to 36 per cent at a coffee shop or recycling point elsewhere.
The main barrier to following a call to action, such as ‘rinse, empty or remove sleeve’, was a lack of understanding. Across all the potential calls to action in our survey, 25 per cent of respondents who said they were unlikely to change their behaviour replied that they did not understand the instruction. Following this, 18 per cent reported that it was too much effort, and 17 per cent did not think it was important.
Packaging for the future
The first step in designing packaging for future requirements is to choose the right material, in the right format, at the right time. This is not always the obvious choice. OPRL recognises that the bigger picture calls for a materials-agnostic approach. For example, plastic will sometimes be the right material, sometimes it may not. And, as technology and ambitions change, so will the solutions.
Designing for recycling calls for simplicity – out with multi-material products and in with mono-materials. Ease of separation is key. At this stage, the RAM only covers core materials, so many brands are looking for materials and formats that fit existing infrastructure. Small changes like fixing lids to bottles can have a huge impact.
As we move forwards, reuse will take precedence. The first consideration is to make the process straightforward for users, but it is also important to ensure that the format chosen will be recyclable at the end of its life. Circularity is not just about preventing single-use, but about extending the life of reusable products.
We are already seeing a range of innovative materials that do not currently fit into the parameters of RAM or that sit in the category of ‘other materials’, but which may prove amazingly circular with tweaks or developments to infrastructure. This comes back to using the right material in the right format at the right time. New standards and infrastructure may be needed to fully integrate these new materials into the packaging portfolio, but innovation and material development have always been an integral part of packaging, and will continue to drive change.[JA2.1]
Working with the current
OPRL’s ethos is to work across all of the materials. It is important to remember that the primary function of packaging is to protect the product. And sometimes, specific materials are perfect for packaging a particular product. If this is the case, it helps to refer to design guides for that material. Many of the UK’s materials associations have already produced guides, as well as a guide for plastics published by WRAP as part of the Plastic Pact. Design for recycling criteria under PPWR are due 1 January 2028.
Conclusion
In future years, we will look back on this stage as a time of transformation. Legislation and innovation are aligning; the key is to communicate with consumers, to show them their role and the potential they have to effect change.