UK packaging firms look to move overseas, warns industry body

Barry Turner Packaging and Film’s Association (PAFA) CEO said current UK environmental policy, skills provision and energy initiatives are holding back PAFA members from playing a greater role in the UK economy.

“I have member companies who are continuing to look toward manufacturing overseas as a direct result of further hikes in carbon taxes which, in the future, will add to the increasing burden of soaring energy prices and the continuing unhelpful business climate in the UK,”​ said the PAFA chief.

Turner said if the government is serious about wanting a strong UK manufacturing presence then policy makers need to recognise this and start removing obstacles by developing policies which help UK manufacturing businesses to compete on a world stage.

“Right now, we have some way to go,” ​he added.

It is well established that if a UK business becomes disadvantaged, it is much more likely to move to a country where conditions such as tax and labour costs are not so punitive, a spokesperson from PAFA told FoodProductionDaily.com

Turner made these points at the recent launch of the PAFA’s new UK sustainability initiative in the House of Commons.

The event aimed to highlight the benefits of modern ‘minimal resource’ packaging in preserving and protecting goods with consequent significant reduction in food wastage.

Sustainability initiative​

According to the PAFA, the UK has one of the lowest per capita levels of consumption of packaging in Europe.

However, Turner said the role of “well-designed, minimal resource packaging”​ for preserving resources was still not widely appreciated, despite population expansion and increasing resource demand.

Through PAFA’s new programme, the association said it plans to reinforce the sustainability credentials of its members’ products in resource efficiency and waste reduction.