Four of the UK’s most trusted horticultural packaging distributors – Fargro, BHGS, East Riding Horticulture and Dejex – have issued a joint warning to growers about the immediate financial impact of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations.
From January 2025, products classed as Household Packaging, including most plant pots, small container pots and bedding packs, incur Local Authority Waste Management fees of £423 per metric tonne. This equates to a 10-18% increase on many common packaging products.
With many growers now quoting for spring 2026 business, the distributors stress that factoring in these new costs is essential to protect margins.
All four companies are fully registered and compliant, having reported data for 18 months on behalf of customers. The Government only confirmed final fee levels in June 2025, and each distributor has now introduced charging mechanisms to collect fees due.
Growers already registered as large producer organisations will be excluded from surcharges, as they are responsible for reporting and paying the fees directly.
EPR is in addition to existing PRN and Plastic Packaging Tax obligations, and applies to all packaging materials, not just plastics.
“The legislation is here, the charges are real, and the penalties for non-compliance are significant,” the companies warned. “Now is the time to review your costings and check you’re compliant.”
