British Glass has called on the Government to back UK glass packaging production and unlock the full potential of reusable packaging.
Glass is the ideal material for reuse – strong, safe, and endlessly recyclable.
It is already proven in multi-trip systems across Europe, and offers the greatest benefits for both the environment and public health.
pEPR: a financial barrier to scaling reuse
The Government intended to incentivise reusable glass systems by exempting packaging that is reused from Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) fees. While a welcome step, this is not enough to drive an industry-wide shift.
- Glass faces the highest pEPR fee per bottle of any packaging material.
- Reusable bottles are heavier than single-use, and many must be kept in circulation to maintain supply – so fees barely fall even when producers switch to reuse.
- Any small savings would be far outweighed by the major upfront and ongoing investment needed to build a UK reuse system.
Glass is ready to deliver reuse
- Multi-trip glass bottles can withstand around 20 journeys before being recycled, cutting carbon emissions, reducing waste, and replacing single-use plastics.
- UK glass packaging manufacturers are fully capable of producing the glass packaging required to meet demand.
- Proven reuse systems already exist across Europe and could be replicated in the UK.
Why it matters: environmental and circular economy benefits of glass
Replacing single-use plastic and plastic-lined packaging with reusable glass offers the greatest benefits for both the environment and public health.
Lifecycle analyses consistently show that reusable glass is less carbon intensive than single-use alternatives and avoids other forms of pollution such as microplastics and litter.
