OPRL (On-Packaging Recycling Label) has welcomed Defra’s decision to retain recycling labels under EPR on product packaging.
From 2026, brand owners and importers will be required to label the majority of packaging products with a label instructing consumers to ‘Recycle’ or ‘Do Not Recycle’, and an accompanying logo.
The OPRL said the plan to adopt the recycling ‘swoosh’ and consumer information around recycling offers “important continuity” that will help to drive recycling participation.
Subscribe to Grocery Gazette for free
Sign up here to get the latest grocery and food news each morning
“Consumers need clear messages, and this commitment to familiar imagery and messaging will help to avoid any confusion,” executive director of sustainability company OPRL, Margaret Bates said.
“It is also encouraging to see that Defra, the devolved administrations and OPRL members – including many international brands – understand the value of the label.”
While the ‘swoosh’ and instructions will be mandatory, packaging producers can choose whether to manage the application themselves, or sign up to a scheme.
Instead, OPRL is focused on helping our members to prepare, by assessing the recyclability of their packaging, and navigating the intricacies of labelling.
Bates also commented on the impact that updated labelling rules will have for EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility): “You could compare it to filling out a tax return – it is possible to do it yourself, but if you are looking for a guarantee that you have ticked every box, then it is safer to hire an accountant.
“Managing labelling requirements for a vast range of products is challenging; getting it wrong can have a huge impact on consumer relations, as well as the regulatory consequences,” she said.
The news comes as Defra is considering relaxing free-range egg rules to help UK farmers struggling amid the avian flu outbreak.
