Core Insights - The UK’s packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) programme, managed by PackUK, officially launched on January 21, 2025, and has completed most of its first operational year by November 2025, providing insights into compliance requirements for global packaging professionals [1] Implementation of pEPR - PackUK has established necessary governance structures for the UK system, including committees for risk, audit, operational oversight, and technical guidance, and published the Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) in April 2025 to prepare producers for future modulated fees [2] Financial Aspects - The first round of invoicing based on 2024 packaging data has commenced, with base fees set at £423/t for plastic, £196/t for paper/cardboard, £192/t for glass, and £259/t for steel, providing initial cost benchmarks for producers [3] Operational Adjustments - PackUK's activities have revealed the operational adjustments needed for compliance, requiring companies that supply over 25 tonnes of packaging annually to register, report accurately, and maintain robust data [4] Recyclability Assessment - The RAM has been introduced to assess recyclability, categorizing outputs as green, amber, or red, with producers encouraged to apply RAM assessments to identify design changes that could lower future costs, even though modulated fees will not take effect until 2026 [5] Future Preparations - The transition to modulated fees in 2026 will make RAM assessments and packaging design critical for compliance costs, and the formal process to appoint a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) will begin in late 2025, with an expected appointment in early 2026 [6] Priorities for Global Suppliers - Global suppliers and exporters should prioritize confirming registration and reporting obligations, completing RAM assessments, reviewing packaging design for recyclability, clarifying reporting responsibilities across the supply chain, and preparing financial systems for timely payments [7]