Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the proportion of plastic packaging used to protect food that will be subject to the plastic packaging tax.

From April 2022, the Plastic Packaging Tax will encourage the use of recycled plastic instead of new material within plastic packaging. This will create greater demand for recycled plastic, and in turn stimulate increased levels of recycling and collection of plastic waste, diverting it away from landfill or incineration. Hand in hand with Defra’s wider packaging reforms, this tax will provide the necessary incentives for producers to make more sustainable packaging, and ensure the UK does its part in tackling this global issue.

The Government has been clear that the tax should apply to as much plastic packaging as possible in order to maximise its incentives.

Packaging used to protect food makes up a significant proportion of packaging in the UK and many types of food packaging already include recycled plastic or use alternative materials to plastic. Without being included in the tax, the types of food packaging where it is currently challenging to increase the level of recycled content would have fewer incentives to find new ways to overcome issues for including recycled material in the production of plastic packaging. However, the Government will continue to monitor progress in this area.