Flexible Plastic Fund warns UK delay could slow flexible plastics recycling investment
The Flexible Plastic Fund (FPF) has expressed concern over the UK government’s decision to postpone mandatory household collections of flexible plastic packaging in England, warning that the three-year delay could undermine investment in domestic recycling infrastructure.
The concerns follow Defra’s announcement that local authorities will now be required to introduce kerbside collections of flexible plastic packaging by 1 April 2030 instead of the previously scheduled March 2027 deadline.
The Flexible Plastic Fund criticised the postponement, arguing that it creates uncertainty at a time when the recycling industry is preparing to expand processing capacity. According to the organisation, despite leading the UK’s largest household flexible plastics collection trial, it was not involved in Defra’s consultation process before the decision was announced.
“As the UK’s centre of collaboration for flexible plastic packaging, responsible for the largest UK trial for household collections, we are deeply concerned by this announcement,” said Gareth Morton, Discovery Manager at Ecosurety and FPF Lead. “Defra’s ‘extensive engagement with the sector’ did not include the Flexible Plastic Fund, despite holding the most comprehensive evidence base on how to make household collections of flexible plastics work effectively.”
Call for a phased implementation plan
The FPF is calling on government, producers and the waste management sector to develop a phased transition plan aimed at maintaining confidence while preparing for nationwide collections. Among its recommendations are a clear implementation roadmap, defined responsibilities for local authorities and greater transparency regarding how Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees will be used to support the rollout.
The organisation also believes existing front-of-store collection schemes should continue to be recognised during the transition period so that producers are not disadvantaged while kerbside collections remain unavailable across much of the country.
“A three-year delay does not simply pause progress; it risks destroying investor confidence at the very point when the UK needs to scale up its domestic reprocessing capacity,” said Gareth Callan, UK Packaging Sustainability Lead at PepsiCo and spokesperson for the FPF. He added that the sector is ready to work with Defra to continue expanding collection, sorting and recycling capacity rather than postponing major developments until 2030.
FlexCollect trial demonstrated feasibility
The Flexible Plastic Fund highlighted the results of its FlexCollect project, conducted between 2022 and 2025 in collaboration with government bodies, local authorities, waste management companies and recycling organisations. The trial collected more than 400 tonnes of flexible plastic packaging from approximately 160,000 households and demonstrated that kerbside collections are both technically feasible and supported by consumers.
According to the organisation, around 70% of English local authorities had been expected to introduce flexible plastic collections by the original 2027 deadline following Defra’s confirmation of the timetable in 2023.
Despite the postponement, the Flexible Plastic Fund confirmed it will continue supporting the development of recycling infrastructure through its FlexCircular initiative, launched in June 2026. The project is assessing future demand for recycled flexible plastics, the processing capacity required within the UK and the policy measures needed to encourage long-term investment. Its findings are expected to be published later this year.
The FPF believes maintaining investment momentum during the extended transition period will be essential to ensuring the UK is prepared when nationwide household collections become mandatory in 2030.
