How Extended Producers Responsibility will affect your business

In October, Prominate released its 2023 half-year Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report outlining the Prominate ESG roadmap. Notably, within the Report is the seamless integration of the Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle principles into our operations to reduce consumption, repurpose existing resources, and manage the remaining waste through recycling. In our industry, promotional products and the supply of packaging are closely intertwined. The packaging serves a dual role: firstly, it enhances the brand and product presentation, and secondly, it safeguards products from potential damage during transit, storage, and distribution.

At the recent event, Co-Designing a Vision for Packaging EPR Modulated Fees, attended by Jonathan Wragg, Prominate Sustainability Director, more than 500 leading experts across various sectors such as FMCG, Waste Management, Beauty, and Packaging came together to discuss the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs across the EU and in the UK.

The core objective of EPR is to evaluate the environmental costs associated with a product and its packaging throughout its entire lifecycle. While the current impact is felt in the Business-to-Consumer (B2C) arena, there is an indication that the major corporations will soon request packaging data and reduction strategies to align with their sustainability targets and EPR fee frameworks. EPR fees are dependent upon varying and complex factors as well as being specific to the data provided by the individual organisations. This data is regularly uploaded through each country’s unique registration forms and procedural processes. As EPR is a mandatory requirement within several countries, many Prominate clients will be aware of the financial impact of EPR, and why EPR data requests will become more mainstream throughout the products procurement cycle.

EPR is a complex matter with no universally recognised legislation. Consequently, variations exist among countries that have implemented EPR. However, the primary focus of EPR remains constant—to diminish the volume of non-recycled waste and specifically, address the 70% of landfills that constitute packaging waste.

By introducing legislation that focuses on reducing packaging waste, the aim is to encourage consumers and manufacturers to reuse more while increasing recycling rates of using commonly recyclable materials. By reducing landfill waste and increasing recycling the directive aims to move away from the standard linear economy to a circular and more sustainable global purchasing model.

To learn more about how Prominate can bring positive change to your promotional material programs contact Jonathan Wragg – jonathan.wragg@prominate.com.

For further insights please visit ‘ Prominate Half Year 2023 Report’.