UK EPR Fees for Glass Packaging: What Food Producers Pay Per Bottle or Jar in 2026

UK Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees for glass packaging range from approximately 3.9p to 10.5p per unit in 2026, based on the Year 2 illustrative waste disposal fees of £185 per tonne for green-rated glass, rising to £205 per tonne for amber and £245 per tonne for red. Most glass qualifies for the green rate: 91% of glass reported under the current methodology is rated green. The fee is calculated by weight: a 210g beer bottle costs approximately 3.9p at the green rate, a standard 470g wine bottle costs 8.7p, and a 570g spirit bottle reaches 10.5p. These fees apply to "large producers" - businesses with annual turnover above £2 million handling more than 50 tonnes of packaging per year. This article explains how the calculation works, why glass carries higher per-unit costs than plastic despite a lower per-tonne rate, what determines your recyclability rating, and what practical steps food producers can take to manage their exposure.

What Is the UK EPR Scheme?

Extended Producer Responsibility is a regulatory framework that shifts the financial cost of packaging waste collection from local authorities to the businesses that place packaging onto the UK market.

The UK's EPR scheme, administered by PackUK, officially launched in October 2025 when first invoices were issued to producers. The scheme targets "large producers" - organisations with annual turnover exceeding £2 million that handle more than 50 tonnes of packaging annually. Businesses below these thresholds are not currently required to pay EPR fees, though they remain subject to registration and data-reporting requirements depending on their size.

Key dates in the scheme's rollout:

• October 2025: First invoices issued, based on 2024 packaging data
• November 2025: First payment deadline, or start of quarterly instalments
• 2026: Eco-modulated fees now apply, with glass rated green, amber, or red under RAM version 1.1
• 2027 reporting year: RAM 2027 takes effect, refining the glass criteria (see below)

The scheme is expected to generate approximately £1.5 billion in its first year. Revenue is allocated to PackUK's administrative costs and payments to local authorities for household packaging waste collection. The British Retail Consortium has campaigned for legal ringfencing to ensure this money is spent specifically on recycling infrastructure rather than general council budgets. The Office for Budget Responsibility has classified EPR as a tax in its fiscal assessments.

How EPR Fees Are Calculated for Glass

Base Fees and the Move to Recyclability-Based Tiers

Fees are set per tonne of material placed on the UK market. The original flat rate for glass, published by DEFRA in June 2025, was £192 per tonne, applied equally regardless of a bottle or jar's recyclability. That flat rate has since been replaced by a three-tier system based on how recyclable your packaging actually is. The Year 2 illustrative waste disposal fees, which apply now, set glass fees as follows:

In practice, 91% of glass packaging in the UK is rated green, so most producers pay £185 per tonne. For comparison, the other material base fees published by DEFRA in June 2025 are:

Glass sits at the lower end of the table even before accounting for its high recyclability. The per-unit picture, however, tells a different story once weight enters the calculation.

Calculating Your Per-Unit Cost

Food producers don't purchase packaging by the tonne - they order by the unit: bottles, jars, lids. The per-unit EPR cost is determined by a straightforward formula:

(weight in kg) × (fee per kg) = EPR cost per unit

At the green rate of £185 per tonne, the fee per kilogram is £0.185. Applied to common glass formats:

Calculations based on DEFRA and PackUK Year 2 illustrative rates and typical industry packaging weights. If your packaging is rated amber or red, apply £205 or £245 per tonne instead of £185.

Worked example: A 500g glass jar - a common format for jam, chutney, or honey - rated green incurs 0.5kg × £0.185 = 9.3p in EPR fees per unit. The same jar rated red would incur 0.5kg × £0.245 = 12.3p per unit - a difference worth checking your closure and label specification against.

When supply chain margins are factored in, the retail price impact may be approximately double the raw EPR fee, according to Pattesons Glass and other manufacturers and distributors.

Why Glass Costs More Per Unit Than Plastic

This is the detail that surprises many producers. Plastic carries a higher per-tonne EPR rate (£423 vs £185 for green-rated glass). Yet a lightweight PET bottle weighing 50g incurs only around 2.1p in EPR fees. A glass bottle of similar capacity, weighing 470-570g, incurs 8.7-10.5p even at the green rate.

The reason is weight. EPR fees are based purely on the tonnage of material placed on the market, not on the environmental performance of that material. Glass is heavier than plastic due to material density and the structural requirements of bottle and jar production. That physical reality, combined with per-tonne pricing, creates higher absolute per-unit costs for glass regardless of its environmental credentials.

Nick Kirk, Technical Director at British Glass, stated: "Brands don't buy a tonne of packaging. They buy a million bottles, or a million cartons. They always buy in quantity, so EPR should be calculated on that basis."

Glass recycles at approximately 76% in the UK -- a higher rate than plastic. It can be remelted indefinitely without losing quality or purity. It does not leach chemicals into food or drink. Under the current calculation method, none of those properties reduce what producers pay per unit.

Recyclability now sets your fee, and the rules are more specific than they might first appear. Eco-modulation is live: your glass pays £185, £205, or £245 per tonne depending on whether it is rated green, amber, or red under RAM version 1.1, the version that applies for the whole of 2026. Most standard bottles and jars are green, but it is worth knowing exactly what pushes a pack out of that tier, because some guidance still in circulation is out of date.

Two things affect the rating. Glass that is not widely collected at kerbside rates lower as a result: mirrored glass, heat-resistant or lead glass, decorative treatments such as frosting or etching, and glass designed so that residue cannot be removed by the consumer -- PackUK's own examples are nail polish bottles and concealer jars. Separately, ceramic swing-stoppers or other non-metal attachments that cannot be removed by hand, and any colour outside the four accepted options of clear, green, blue, or amber, push a pack to amber. Metal closures such as screw-top skirts and collars are specifically excluded from that attachment rule and do not affect the rating.

One rule that circulated widely no longer applies: label or sleeve coverage above 60% of the glass surface was removed from the methodology in April 2025. If your supplier or packaging spec still screens for this, it is not necessary.

A producer using conventional formats, colours, and closures has little to worry about. One using a decorative finish, a non-standard colour, or an unusual attachment should check its rating before assuming the green rate applies.

Competing materials are temporarily exempt. Single-use drinks containers made from PET plastic and aluminium (150ml-3L) are currently exempt from EPR fees. They were intended to be covered by the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), which has been delayed until October 2027 at the earliest. Glass beverage containers are excluded from the DRS in England and remain fully liable for EPR fees. This creates a two-year minimum window where producers using plastic bottles or aluminium cans for beverages pay no EPR fees, while producers using glass pay roughly 4-10.5p per unit.

The weight-based calculation is a structural disadvantage for glass. There is no policy mechanism in the 2025-2026 scheme that rewards heavier packaging for its recyclability or compensates producers for the environmental benefits of their material choice. Randy Burns, Chief Sustainability Officer at O-I Glass, noted: "Glass is still carrying more than its fair share of the system's cost -- while aluminium and PET get a free pass. We believe in a level playing field. One where recyclability is rewarded."

Business Impact for Small and Medium Food Producers

The Core Cost Pressure

The British Retail Consortium estimates that over 80% of EPR costs will be passed through supply chains to consumers. The Bank of England has estimated the policy will contribute approximately 0.5% to food inflation.

For larger businesses with high packaging volumes, EPR creates a meaningful but manageable compliance cost. For smaller producers, the impact is more concentrated.

What This Means for SMEs

Small and medium food producers typically operate with thinner margins and less capital to absorb sudden cost increases or fund packaging redesigns. The Isle of Wight Distillery's experience illustrates the pressure the scheme creates for producers who specifically chose glass for its environmental credentials. Compliance and Sustainability Manager Charity Parker noted: "We have created glass bottles to be reused and to go back into the circular economy. It would actually be cheaper to put our liquid into plastic bottles."

That is the dilemma the current fee structure creates for conscientious glass users.

Private Label Arrangements

Producers supplying private label products to retailers need to check their EPR liability carefully. The regulations define the "first brand owner" as the responsible party for fee payment. If an SME producer supplies a product to a retailer with any of the producer's own branding present -- even as a secondary mark - the producer, not the retailer, may be liable for EPR fees on all packaging.

Many smaller suppliers had expected retailer partners to carry primary responsibility for private label lines. This legal structure has created unexpected financial exposure for some businesses. Always take legal advice on your specific supply arrangements before assuming where liability falls.

Hospitality Businesses

Pubs, restaurants, and hotels face a particular challenge. They pay for commercial waste collection services to dispose of glass packaging. They also receive EPR fees embedded in the wholesale prices of packaged beverages -- meaning the same packaging effectively carries a cost twice. Industry groups have raised this with DEFRA, as the current definition of "household packaging" in the regulations is broad enough to capture primary packaging sold in hospitality venues.

Looking Ahead: RAM 2027 and Standard Glass Colours

On 1 July 2026, PackUK published RAM 2027, the next version of the Recyclability Assessment Methodology. It is worth understanding now even though it changes nothing about your fees for the current reporting year.

RAM 2027 does not affect 2025 or 2026 data. Producers must continue to use RAM version 1.1 - the version behind the green, amber, and red rates above - to assess and report recyclability for the 2026 reporting year (1 January to 31 December 2026). RAM 2027 applies only to packaging placed on the market from 1 January 2027, with the first reports under it due by 1 October 2027.

Glass criteria change under RAM 2027. The published materials assessment guidance sets out the glass-specific criteria for 2027 onwards: any soda-lime-silica glass bottle or jar collected at kerbside by at least 75% of UK local authorities is rated green at every stage of recyclability, with no separate test for glass colour. Only glass that isn't soda-lime-silica - mirrors and flat glass, lead crystal, heat-resistant glass such as borosilicate, and pyro-ceramic or ceramic glass - is automatically rated red. In practice, this means standard container glass in amber, green-tinted, or flint finishes, the formats Jars & Bottles supplies, all sit in the same green tier under the new methodology once it takes effect.

For producers using tinted glass for light protection - amber beer bottles or green wine bottles, for example - this removes any ambiguity about whether colour alone could push a rating down from 2027. It is a detail worth confirming with your compliance scheme closer to the 2027 reporting deadline, rather than something requiring action today.

Practical Strategies for Managing EPR Costs

Policy discussions will continue, but food producers using glass need practical options now.

1. Lightweighting

Reducing packaging weight while maintaining structural integrity reduces EPR liability proportionally. Weight reduction targets of 10-15% are often technically achievable without compromising bottle or jar performance.

Premium spirits brands including Johnnie Walker and Champagne Telmont have implemented lightweight designs that maintain shelf presence while reducing material costs, transport emissions, and EPR fees. Our parent company Pattesons, offers lightweight glass packaging options in the UK.

Steps to consider:

• Request a lightweighting analysis from your glass packaging supplier on your highest-volume formats
• Prototype and test designs for breakage rates during transport and handling
• Assess consumer perception in small-scale trials before committing to a full rollout
• Calculate EPR savings against any tooling, mould, or transition costs

Note that lightweighting has limits. Some premium bottle formats require maintaining a certain weight, and pressure constraints for carbonated beverages or complex shape requirements can restrict what is achievable.

2. Supply Chain Review

Local sourcing can reduce transport costs and the carbon footprint of your packaging. For some businesses, proximity to suppliers can also support access to regional closed-loop collection models, which eliminate per-unit EPR costs for participating businesses -- though current regulations do not yet provide specific financial incentives for glass reuse arrangements.

3. SKU and Pricing Review

Calculate the EPR cost per SKU as both an absolute figure and a percentage of your wholesale or retail price. Some product lines will have margin capacity to absorb the cost without adjustment. Others will require a pricing decision.

Rationalising low-volume SKUs -- or consolidating pack sizes where practical -- concentrates your volume into more commercially efficient formats and reduces total EPR liability. Transparent communication about regulatory cost increases, framed within your broader sustainability commitment, can support necessary price adjustments.

4. Sustainable Positioning

Consumer research published by McKinsey in 2025 found that glass and paper-based packaging are seen by consumers as the most sustainable materials, and that consumers value packaging solutions that align with circularity principles. Glass's infinite recyclability and its status as a non-leaching, food-safe material are genuine and verifiable attributes. Communicating these clearly supports both premium positioning and price resilience.

5. Compliance and Policy Monitoring

The EPR framework is expected to change significantly over its first three years. Staying ahead of those changes gives businesses time to plan rather than react.

Key developments to monitor:

• RAM 2027 (applies from the 2027 reporting year): confirms standard soda-lime-silica glass of any colour is rated green, removing colour-based ambiguity for the 2027 reporting year onward
• Deposit Return Scheme implementation (anticipated October 2027): implementation is expected to end the current EPR exemption for plastic and aluminium beverage containers
• Potential amendments to closed-loop system incentives: November 2025 amendments introduced offsets for food-grade plastics; industry groups continue to argue for equivalent treatment for glass reuse
• Revenue ringfencing: the BRC continues to campaign for legal requirements that EPR funds be directed to recycling infrastructure

Assign clear internal ownership for compliance monitoring. Subscribing to DEFRA and PackUK update channels and engaging through trade bodies such as British Glass are practical starting points.

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What to Expect Through 2027

Now (2026 reporting year): Eco-modulated fees are live. Glass rated green pays £185 per tonne, amber £205, and red £245, assessed under RAM version 1.1. Most standard bottles and jars are green.

2027 reporting year: RAM 2027 takes effect for packaging placed on the market from 1 January 2027, with first reports due 1 October 2027. Under the new methodology, standard soda-lime-silica glass of any colour is rated green provided it is commonly collected at kerbside; only non-standard glass types such as lead crystal, borosilicate, and ceramic glass are automatically rated red.

October 2027: The Deposit Return Scheme is anticipated to launch, covering PET plastic and aluminium drinks containers (150ml-3L). If implemented as currently scoped, this should end the current EPR exemption for those materials, levelling the competitive position for glass producers in the beverage sector.

Ongoing -- glass and DRS: Current policy excludes glass beverage containers from the DRS in England. EPR remains the primary compliance mechanism for glass packaging.

Ongoing -- ringfencing: The BRC continues to campaign for legal requirements that EPR funds be directed to recycling infrastructure rather than general council budgets.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the EPR fee rate for glass packaging in 2026? Glass packaging pays £185 per tonne if rated green, £205 if amber, or £245 if red, under the Year 2 illustrative fees published by PackUK and DEFRA. 91% of glass reported is rated green. Per unit at the green rate, this produces fees of approximately 3.9p (for a 210g bottle) to 10.5p (for a 570g bottle), depending on packaging weight.

Who has to pay EPR fees? EPR fees apply to "large producers" -- businesses with annual UK turnover above £2 million that place more than 50 tonnes of packaging on the market per year. Smaller businesses below both thresholds are not currently required to pay fees, though data-reporting obligations still apply depending on company size.

Why is the per-unit EPR cost for glass higher than for plastic if glass has a lower per-tonne rate? Because EPR fees are calculated by weight and glass packaging is substantially heavier than plastic equivalents. A PET bottle weighing 50g incurs around 2.1p in EPR fees. A glass bottle of equivalent capacity typically weighs 470-570g and incurs 8.7-10.5p even at the green rate. The per-tonne rate is lower for glass, but weight dominates the calculation in practice.

Is there any EPR fee reduction for recyclable glass packaging? Yes. Eco-modulation is already in effect: glass rated green pays £185 per tonne, amber £205, and red £245. Most standard bottles and jars are rated green. The features that risk a lower rating are decorative or treated glass such as mirrored, heat-resistant, or frosted finishes; non-metal attachments that cannot be separated by hand, such as ceramic swing-stoppers; and colour outside the four accepted options of clear, green, blue, and amber. Metal closures such as screw-top skirts and collars are specifically excluded from the attachment rule. A rule some guidance still cites, covering label or sleeve coverage above 60% of the surface, was removed from the methodology in April 2025 and no longer applies.

What is RAM 2027 and does it change my glass packaging costs now? No, not yet. RAM 2027 is the next version of the recyclability methodology, published by PackUK on 1 July 2026. It applies only to packaging placed on the market from 1 January 2027, with first reports due 1 October 2027. Use RAM version 1.1 -- the version behind current green, amber, and red rates -- for the 2026 reporting year. Under RAM 2027, standard soda-lime-silica glass of any colour will be rated green, with only non-standard glass types such as lead crystal or borosilicate rated red.

Are plastic bottles exempt from EPR fees? Single-use drinks containers made from PET plastic and aluminium (150ml-3L capacity) are currently exempt from EPR fees. They were expected to fall under the Deposit Return Scheme, which has been delayed until October 2027 at the earliest. Glass containers are excluded from the Deposit Return Scheme in England and remain fully liable for EPR fees.

Can switching to lighter glass jars reduce my EPR costs? Yes. EPR fees are directly proportional to packaging weight. Reducing the weight of a bottle or jar by 10-15% reduces the EPR fee by the same proportion. Ask your glass supplier for a lightweighting analysis on your highest-volume formats to understand what is achievable for your specific packaging.

How much will EPR fees add to retail prices? The British Retail Consortium estimates that more than 80% of EPR costs will be passed through supply chains to consumers. The Bank of England has estimated the policy contributes approximately 0.5% to food inflation. The exact retail impact per product depends on margin capacity across the supply chain.

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References

1. DEFRA -- Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging: 2025 base fees, June 2025.
2. UK Parliament Library -- Impact of extended producer responsibility for packaging on glass packaging producers, 2025.
3. British Retail Consortium (BRC) -- Packaging tax to push up prices for consumers, October 2025.
4. Wine and Spirit Trade Association, British Glass, Scotch Whisky Association -- Joint statement on EPR glass fees, 2025.
5. Drinks Retailing News -- EPR base fees labelled ambiguous and counterproductive, 2025.
6. Pattesons Glass -- Managing EPR Costs for Glass Packaging, 2025.
7. The Drinks Business -- Wine and beer prices rise under new glass packaging levy, 2025. (Note: Original source was BBC News -- "Glass levy dampens producers' spirits". The BBC article is no longer directly accessible; this Drinks Business article covers the same story and data.)
8. Mills Reeve -- New EPR rules could cause additional costs for private label manufacturers, October 2025.
9. DEFRA -- Deposit Return Scheme: drinks producer and retailer responsibilities.
10. DEFRA/PackUK -- Year 2 illustrative waste disposal fees: Extended producer responsibility for packaging.
11. Green Alliance -- Written evidence to UK Parliament on EPR design and material impacts (PWC0014), 2025. (Note: Direct URL for this written evidence submission could not be verified. Recommend Sam Graves confirms this reference before publishing, or replaces with the House of Commons Library briefing CBP-10352.)
12. McKinsey & Company -- Sustainability in packaging 2025: Inside the minds of global consumers, 2025.
13. PackUK -- RAM 2027: overview, published 1 July 2026.
14. PackUK -- RAM 2027 materials assessment guidance (glass section), published 1 July 2026.