UK Glass Industry Under Pressure from Cheap Imports and New Green Levy

The UK's glass industry is facing significant challenges due to a new government green levy. This levy is part of the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme, which holds businesses responsible for the collection and recycling costs of the goods they market, including packaging. Because the fees are calculated by weight, the industry body British Glass noted that glass faces disproportionate costs compared to cardboard and plastic. The policy is reportedly making the British glass industry more expensive than cheap imports from China and Turkey, leading to calls from the industry and the pub and brewery sectors for a policy rethink.

The levy, which is intended to help local councils with recycling costs, is expected to raise around £1.6 billion annually. The sector is heavily concentrated in northern England. The pressure from foreign imports is testing the viability of the UK's domestic manufacturing base against international market pricing.

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