Sonoco Europe to host post-election webinar on the future of resources & waste policy in the UK

Sonoco Europe will host a webinar on 29th July in which an expert panel will examine polling results from recent Sonoco-commissioned research. The panel will also discuss the ‘Simpler Recycling’ policy announced by the previous Conservative Government – scheduled to be introduced in 2026 – as well as looking ahead at what future policy changes a Labour Government might make to policies in this area.

 The webinar will provide valuable insights for professionals at every stage of the packaging supply chain and will feature experts from Sonoco, as well as from Public Affairs company, Cavendish Consulting, and INCPEN – the Industry Council for Packaging & the Environment.

The webinar will feature analysis of the “Simpler Recycling” policy for households, which the previous Government planned to roll out in 2026. Local authorities across England will be given a single list of materials that they must collect for recycling. However, polling shows that the public is unaware of the change and what it will mean for their local recycling collections. Of the 27% aware of the changes, most have a poor grasp of what the policy will entail.

Despite a lack of awareness about the wider policy, the research shows that consumers want to do the right thing – 80% of them check whether an item is recyclable using local recycling guidance or on-pack labels, and 71% say they do what the packaging tells them to do some or all of the time. It was also found that most people prefer clear on-pack labels or council leaflets (66%) to present information about recyclability – rather than social media or TV campaigns (22%). And 71% of them say they do what the packaging says all or some of the time. Sonoco says it is supportive for government leaders to take actions to improve communication about upcoming change and ensure the policy is comprehensive across all recyclable materials.

 To register for the webinar, visit this site.

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