Consultation outcome

Plastic packaging tax

• From: HM Treasury and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Published: 18 February 2019
• Last updated: 3 March 2020 — See all updates

This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government

This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Plastic packaging tax: summary of responses

PDF, 520 KB, 38 pages

Detail of outcome

Earlier this year, the government ran a consultation on the world-leading plastic packaging tax which will encourage greater use of recycled plastic and help to tackle plastic waste. The consultation outlined proposals for how the tax would work and asked a number of questions related to this. The government received over 400 responses and this document provides a summary of these. It also outlines the government’s response and next steps

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Original consultation

Summary

Seeking views on the design of the tax on plastic packaging announced at Budget 2018.

This consultation ran from
12:15am on 18 February 2019 to 11:59pm on 12 May 2019

Consultation description

At Budget 2018, government announced that from April 2022 it would introduce a world-leading new tax on the production and import of plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content, subject to consultation. Plastic packaging accounts for 44% of plastic used in the UK , but 67% of plastic waste, and over 2 million tonnes of plastic packaging is used each year. The vast majority of this is made from new, rather than recycled plastic. The government’s call for evidence last year, which received a record 162,000 responses, highlighted that recycled plastic using is often more expensive than using new plastic, despite its lower environmental impacts. The government wants to shift the economic incentives involved in the production of more sustainable plastic packaging, encouraging greater use of recycled plastic and helping to reduce plastic waste. This complements the government’s proposals for reformed Packaging Producer Responsibility regulations.

The consultation outlines the government’s proposal for how the tax will work and contains a number of questions relating to this. For example, which packaging should be in scope of the tax, how to assess recycled content, and which businesses will be liable for the tax. The government is open to views on the best design options.

Alongside the standard consultation, the government has included a condensed version for stakeholders who would prefer to provide views on only the high-level principles of the tax. The government would prefer stakeholders with industry or environmental experience to respond to the standard version.

You can respond to the consultation using this link.

Documents

Plastic packaging tax: consultation

Ref: ISBN 978-1-912809-37-0, PU2233

PDF, 439 KB, 51 pages

Published 18 February 2019
Last updated 3 March 2020 + show all updates

1. 3 March 2020

   Updated ISBN code.

2. 23 July 2019

   Updated with Plastic packaging tax: summary of responses to the consultation.

3. 9 May 2019

   Email address updated.

4. 18 February 2019

   First published.