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<p>Packaging has an important and positive role to play in reducing product damage
and food waste. The Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations require producers
to ensure that the packaging they use is the minimum to ensure safety and hygiene
and to meet consumer expectations. If anyone receives a product they believe to be
over packaged, they should report it to Trading Standards who are responsible for
enforcing these regulations.</p><p>The Government is working with retailers and the
Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to encourage their efforts to reduce waste
and to explore the introduction of plastic free supermarket initiatives in which fresh
food is sold loose, giving consumers the choice. WRAP has published a technical report
on the evidence for providing fresh produce loose and we are working with Morrisons
to evaluate its current trial of selling produce loose, to assess the impact on food
waste.</p><p>In April last year, WRAP and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation launched
their world-leading UK Plastics Pact, with support from the Government, and all the
major supermarkets have signed up to it. The Pact brings these organisations together
with four key targets for 2025 that aim to reduce the amount of plastic waste generated.
They include action to eliminate problematic or unnecessary single use plastic packaging
items. Our proposed reforms will support supermarkets in achieving those targets.</p><p>Earlier
this year, the Government launched a suite of consultations to overhaul the waste
system. This included proposals to replace existing packaging waste regulations with
Extended Producer Responsibility to ensure packaging producers pay the full costs
of disposing of the packaging they use. Consultations were also launched on introducing
a deposit return scheme for drinks containers and increasing consistency in recycling
collection, as well as introducing a tax on plastic packaging containing less than
30% recycled content. These consultations have now closed and a summary of responses
will be published in due course.</p><p>These reforms support delivery of the Government’s
Resources and Waste Strategy for England, published last year, which sets out our
plans to reduce plastic pollution and move towards a more circular economy. This builds
on the commitment in the 25 Year Environment Plan to eliminate all avoidable plastic
waste.</p>
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