Should Packaging Data be Standardised?

From the start of 2023, retailers and packaging manufacturers are required to report data on the packaging they manufacture and use. Under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), packaging data including volume, packaging materials and recyclability have to be recorded. The data will determine how much companies are taxed from January 2024.

EPR aims to encourage circular thinking. All businesses need to consider ways to reduce, reuse and recycle to reduce packaging waste. By cutting out unnecessary packaging and selecting recycled and widely recyclable materials, companies can reduce their tax bill.

Standardising Packaging Data

One company has seen this data collection as an opportunity. Open Data Manchester has recognised that if common terminology and metrics are used, the data could provide broad insight. This could aid resource allocation and innovation in areas where the biggest impact on reducing packaging waste can be made.

The initial focus is on plastic packaging. Their Open 3P standard has been developed in collaboration with packaging manufacturers, suppliers, industry and waste management companies. The opportunity this offers has been recognised by Innovate UK. As a result, Open 3P has secured funding to invest in the development of the standard.

In the future, the company plan to roll this out, so it can apply to other packaging materials. It could provide a means of discovering more about the UK’s packaging options and systems, to aid waste reduction. What this space!

Find out more about EPR in this Aylesbury Box Company article: https://abcbox.co.uk/packaging-updates-2023/

Find out more about Open 3P in the Open Data Manchester article: https://www.opendatamanchester.org.uk/open-3p-an-open-standard-for-the-plastics-packaging-industry/