BHETA met with HMRC last month on behalf of its members and is working with them on potential solutions to allow the exemption of multi-use plastic products such as drinks bottles and plastic storage boxes from the Plastic packaging tax.The move was prompted by HMRC's last minute additions to the draft Plastic Packaging Tax legislation, which extended the definition of packaging to include multiple-use plastic storage boxes (for food and non-food) and drinks bottles. The nub of the issue is the need to address the impact of single use plastic packaging, as opposed to penalising multi-use consumer products made from plastic.BHETA set up a steering committee in early 2021 and the companies involved to date are What More UK, Strata Products, Addis, Taylor’s Eye Witness, Eko, Simplehuman, Newell, Lifetime Brands, Whitefurze, JML, Meyer and DNC UK.Chief Operating Officer of BHETA, Will Jones commented: “The last minute inclusion of items such as storage boxes, buckets and plastic food containers, and defining them as Packaging, runs contrary to the encouragement of multiple use plastics as a replacement for single use. We are pleased that HMRC has asked BHETA for a potential technical standard for consideration and look forward to working with members to develop a proposal."“Multi-use plastic – combined with improved recycling – is part of the solution to the problem of plastic waste pollution and Government should be making a distinction between single use packaging and multiple use, lifetime consumer goods in daily use.Under the new legislation, from April 2022 all plastic items used in the packaging of products must include a minimum of 30% recycled content, or face taxes of £200 per metric tonne of chargeable plastic packaging components.BHETA regularly lobbies on subjects affecting housewares, small electricals, DIY and garden members. It also provides member training and retail networking events, up to the minute data on market opportunities compliance advice.
.jpg)
%20(3).jpg)
