The Role of Reusable Plastics Packaging in a Circular Economy
The Role of Reusable Plastics Packaging in the Circular Economy
Reusable packaging is moving from pilots to real systems. This report examines how reusable plastic packaging can support the transition to a more circular economy and explores the growing interest in refill and return systems across the UK. It outlines the practical, commercial and legislative challenges that must be addressed, while highlighting the advantages plastics offer in emerging reuse models. The document provides an overview of current activity, the barriers slowing progress, and the opportunities reuse could deliver as systems continue to develop.
Contents
- Executive Summary
- Introduction
- The Case for Reuse
- Systems
- Why Plastics
- Enablers
- Legislation
- Barriers
- Current State
- What could be achieved by 2030
- What could be achieved by 2035
- Conclusions
- Acknowledgements
The document is available for free to all organisations, researchers and stakeholders who wish to explore how reuse systems work in practice and what conditions are needed for them to succeed at scale. It is intended as a practical reference point for companies that are beginning to assess reuse models and for those looking to deepen their understanding of this evolving area.
