No regulations are currently in place specifically obliging retailers to take back, and take back and recycle, packaging sold in their own stores. However, we have not ruled out regulating on this in the future, and if we wished to do so, powers are available in sections 93-95 of the Environment Act 1995.
The level of a business' obligation is determined, in part, by the amount of packaging they handle. Once they have calculated their obligation, the business has to ensure that the specified amount of packaging waste is recovered or recycled. This is an equivalent amount of waste, so does not have to be waste from the very same products handled by the business.
At present, the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 encourage businesses to reduce the amount of packaging they use. In addition, the Government are encouraging supermarkets to take greater responsibility for the waste they place on the market and for producers to reduce their waste. The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is currently working with retailers through the ‘Courtauld Commitment’, a voluntary agreement which aims to halt packaging growth by 2008 and make absolute reductions in packaging waste by 2010. 13 major retailers, representing 92 per cent. of the UK grocery sector, have already signed the agreement, as well as three major brands.
In addition, DEFRA, working with WRAP and the devolved administrations, has recently secured the agreement of UK retailers to reduce the overall environmental impact of their carrier bags by 25 per cent. by the end of 2008.