The Office for the Internal Market (OIM), part of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which independently advises the UK government, launched a study of regulatory restrictions on single-use plastics, on 29 July.
Since 2011, measures have been brought into force across all parts of the UK to tackle the issue of single-use plastic waste, including plastic bags, cutlery, straws and food and drink containers. Scotland, England and Wales have implemented bans on certain products while Northern Ireland has a plan for future restrictions. Restrictions introduced to date have been introduced at different times but have been similar in substance.
The OIM now wants to hear from a wide range of stakeholders including SMEs and others in the supply chain about their experience of dealing with regulatory changes in relation to single-use plastics. The OIM particularly wants views on how businesses have responded to the changes and the extent to which differences in the timing or substance of regulations have impacted policymaking and innovation across the UK.
The review builds on the work of the OIM’s latest annual report which found that supermarkets have tended to adopt a ‘UK wide’ approach when using single-use plastic items like cutlery, plates and bowls – meaning they adapt to the regulatory environment by using items which meet trading rules in all parts of the UK or at least all parts they trade in, rather than using different products in each nation.
Steve Gough, Chief Executive of Valpak by Reconomy, the UK’s largest compliance scheme, commented: “We believe that businesses that are prepared to embed circularity at the heart of their model where waste is reduced, resources are conserved and remain within the economy, can positively minimise our impact on climate change, meet net zero targets and decouple economic growth from carbon emissions.
“We welcome any moves that will provide a better picture on how national restrictions on single-use plastics are working and how businesses are dealing with regulatory changes to reduce complexity, boost innovation and help guide development of future policy. As we outlined in our framework for improving the UK’s waste management sector, targeted policy needs to simplify recycling for businesses and consumers, and we look forward to seeing the results of this study.”
The OIM is running a short online survey, which can be found on the single-use plastics project page. This will run until 16 September 2024 although earlier responses are encouraged to help the review get underway. Businesses and other interested stakeholders can also share views by emailing OIM-SUP@cma.gov.uk.
