About us
The Packaging Federation is the “over-arching” trade association for the UK Packaging Manufacturing Industry. It is a unique representative body for companies and organisations in the UK packaging manufacturing sector and associated activities.
It actively promotes the economic importance of the industry, the products that it produces, the considerable benefits that derive from the use of packaging and the industry’s responsible concern for both the community and the environment.
The sizes of member companies range from the largest players in the industry to a number of smaller one/two site operations. All sectors (glass, metal, paper & board and plastics) are represented and total company representation accounts for more than half of the industry. Organisation members include all the Sector Trade associations plus a number of recycling organisations and compliance schemes.
A unique and unified voice
The UK Packaging
Manufacturing Industry has annual sales of £14 Billion and employs
some 80,000 people – representing 3% of the UK’s manufacturing
workforce. It is a major contributor to the UK GDP and a vital
link in the Packaging Supply Chain. As a respected trade federation
representing all the material streams within the industry, it
presents a unique, strong and unified voice on behalf of all
of its members and the Packaging Industry as a whole whilst adding
greater impact to the concerns of the individual material sectors.
The Federation’s strategy
Its role is to provide
a balanced picture of the role of packaging in society and to
lobby for a balanced debate on its worth and environmental impact.
In pursuing this, it has regular and vigorous dialogue with Government,
politicians, media, supply chain partners and the wider public.
In recent times, packaging has been the subject of widespread comment and criticism from many quarters. Modern packaging is an integral feature of modern society and the way in which it lives and shops. The Federation strives to ensure that there is a much better understanding of its true impact on society and the environment and that debates are more balanced. To this end, it has regular dialogue with Government Departments (including Defra and DBIS) and is a regular consultee on a wide range of issues. It was instrumental in the formation of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Packaging Manufacturing Industry (for which it provides the Secretariat) which meets quarterly and it hosts an annual reception with MP’s at the House of Commons. Meetings are also held regularly with packaging specifiers (retailers and packer/fillers) and NGO’s. Frequent contact is maintained with the media at large and a range of consumer groups.
The Federation works closely with INCPEN (Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment) which is the research organisation working on behalf of the packaging supply chain. Collaboration takes place on a number of issues of common interest and joint research is undertaken where appropriate and in the interests of the Federation’s members.
Members are kept informed by e-mail and a programme of quarterly plenary meetings (attended mainly by chief executives and environment directors of member companies and organisations) and quarterly Industry Steering Group meetings (primarily a forum for sector trade associations).
Membership and structure
Membership of The Packaging
Federation is open to manufacturers from all sectors of the UK
packaging manufacturing industry, packaging design companies,
sector trade associations, recycling organisations, compliance
schemes and other companies associated with this industry.
The Federation operates from a small London office base in Victoria with all services outsourced.
