What is The UK Plastics Pact?
A world first initiative
The UK Plastics Pact brings together businesses from across the entire plastics value chain with UK governments and NGOs to tackle the scourge of plastic waste. We are creating a circular economy for plastics, capturing their value by keeping them in the economy and out of the natural environment.
Pact members will eliminate problematic plastics reducing the total amount of packaging on supermarket shelves, stimulate innovation and new business models and help build a stronger recycling system in the UK. Together we will ensure that plastic packaging is designed so it can be easily recycled and made into new products and packaging and, with the support of governments, ensure consistent UK recycling is met.
The UK Plastics Pact, led by WRAP, is the first of a global network of Pacts, enabled by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy initiative.
Business leaders tell us about the value of being a Pact member
Delivering on your sustainability targets
Priority action areas
To achieve The UK Plastics Pact targets it is imperative we address some critical issues and find solutions working in collaboration with the plastics value chain.
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Plastic bags and wrapping
This material makes up nearly a quarter of consumer packaging, yet only 6% is recycled.
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Reuse and refill
Kicking our plastics habit and changing the way we shop is key to a circular economy for plastics.
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Eliminating Problem plastics
Eliminating problem plastics and only using plastic packaging where necessary, is at the heart of our work.
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Designing for recyclability
Use our guidance to design best in class plastic packaging.
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Citizen behaviour change
Hard hitting campaigns, world leading citizen research and insight are transforming recycling behaviours in the UK.
Tackling a global issue
Collaborating with partners around the worldKey reports, guidance and tools
View a selection of our essential guidance and reports on plastics. Or for all our work on plastic packaging click here
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UK Plastics Pact Annual Report 2023-24
UK Plastics Pact member progress and data report 2023-24
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Design tips for making rigid plastic packaging more recyclable
Guidance for packaging designers, retailers and brands
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Creating a circular economy for flexible plastic packaging
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Plastics Market Situation report 2019
The state of the market report
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Eliminating problem plastics
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A Roadmap to 2025: The UK Plastics Pact