Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Business

Packaging tax could be ‘catastrophic’ for small food businesses, brands warn

by April 28, 2025
April 28, 2025
Packaging tax could be ‘catastrophic’ for small food businesses, brands warn

Small food businesses across Britain are warning that the government’s new packaging tax could have catastrophic consequences, forcing price rises, damaging cashflows and even putting some companies out of business.

The “extended producer responsibility” (EPR) levy, announced in December, requires any company with more than £1 million in annual sales and using over 25 tonnes of packaging to pay fees designed to improve recycling infrastructure. Compliance costs are expected to hit £1.4 billion across the sector in the first year alone, according to the Food and Drink Federation.

For Nadine Maggi, founder of Sweet Freedom, which produces natural spreads and syrups, the new charge is the final straw in what she describes as the toughest trading environment she has seen in 15 years. The tax will land her company with an additional £50,000 bill this year — on top of soaring cocoa prices, higher minimum wages, and rising national insurance costs — leaving Sweet Freedom facing its first loss in years.

“This is tougher than anything I’ve ever faced in my entire career,” said Maggi. She has already increased prices by 12 per cent due to rising ingredient costs but is reluctant to raise them again, fearing it would damage sales. Instead, she is cutting overheads and pulling outsourced work back in-house.

Stu Macdonald, founder of peanut butter brand Manilife, who is leading a campaign for a rethink, said the EPR could be “existential” for many smaller brands. His company, with annual sales of £7 million, expects a £200,000 bill. “Had this happened a year ago, I’m not sure we would have survived,” he said.

Macdonald and over 100 food businesses argue that the changes were poorly communicated and will disproportionately affect small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). They claim many SMEs only recently became aware of their liability, although the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs insists it carried out “extensive engagement”.

Katie Jewitt, chief operating officer of Momo Kombucha, a South London drinks company, said her business will be hit with more than £100,000 in extra costs next year, delaying its expected break-even point by at least 12 months. Momo uses glass bottles, a sustainable but heavier material that attracts higher charges under the new regime.

“There are hundreds of businesses that will go out of business,” Jewitt warned. “They just have no concept of how small businesses work in the UK.”

The sentiment is echoed across the industry. Liam White, co-founder of condiment maker Dr Will’s, said he may need to raise additional capital to cope with the added £35,000 cost burden. “It adds to the cocktail of things that keep you awake as a small business owner,” he said.

Despite mounting pressure, government advisers and compliance experts suggest companies should prepare for the new rules rather than expecting a reprieve. John Redmayne, managing director of the European Recycling Platform, said: “These regulations aren’t going to go away.”

The government maintains that the EPR scheme will create 21,000 jobs and drive £10 billion in recycling investment over the next decade. “We are committed to cracking down on waste and boosting recycling, with the extended producer responsibility for packaging being a vital first step for our packaging reforms,” a spokesperson said.

For many entrepreneurs, however, the immediate reality is a stark one: a sudden, costly burden that threatens to suffocate growth just as businesses are emerging from the challenges of Brexit, Covid-19 and inflation. “The government talks about economic growth,” said Maggi, “but what they’re doing is stifling the very entrepreneurs and small businesses that drive it.”

Read more:
Packaging tax could be ‘catastrophic’ for small food businesses, brands warn

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Better Society Capital surpasses £1bn in investments tackling UK social challenges
next post
Men’s sexual health app faces £400k HMRC clawback as R&D tax crackdown bites

You may also like

Australian startup Recharge wins bid for collapsed UK...

February 6, 2023

The Top Team-Building Activities for Companies in the...

January 25, 2025

Amazon pledges $4bn to Anthropic in race for...

September 25, 2023

Picture perfect? Brits prioritise a good snap over...

August 18, 2022

Rise in back pain and long-term sickness linked...

November 11, 2022

How a Trading Challenge Can Help You Earn...

November 15, 2024

The Impact of Apple Pay on Traditional Banking

December 2, 2024

An end could be in sight to rail...

December 16, 2022

Adapting to Change: How Furniture Marketing Use-Cases are...

December 16, 2024

Binance faces US ban for ‘breaking laws’

March 28, 2023

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Rubio condemns assassination attempt on Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe

      June 8, 2025
    • Obama WH physician says Biden doc should have performed cognitive test

      June 8, 2025
    • Trump warns of ‘serious consequences’ if Elon Musk funds Democrats

      June 7, 2025
    • Musk jokes about reconsidering stance on Big Beautiful Bill after Schiff’s praise

      June 7, 2025
    • Musk deletes explosive posts about Trump and Epstein files

      June 7, 2025
    • House witness flips script on Dem who ambushed him during hearing with unearthed tweet: ‘Iceberg is ahead’

      June 7, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,152)
    • Investing (2,019)
    • Politics (15,570)
    • Stocks (3,136)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved