The HMRC plastic packaging tax has come into force, here's what you need to know

Wave goodbye to unnecessary plastics

For lots of us, April 1st will be remembered for snow in Spring, impending cost of living hikes, and Harry Styles’ new video (which you should check out right now if you haven’t already). But, beauty business owners have an extra thing on their plates, the HMRC plastic packaging tax. 

The new cost, which came into force today, means that anyone who manufactures or imports virgin plastic has to pay extra. For any plastic packaging that’s made up of less than 30% recycled plastic content, businesses have to pay a rate of £200 per metric tonne. If you need more of a run-down, we have loads on the new tax here. 

We’ve all been figuring out how to recycle beauty products for a few years now. So, it only seems right that the people at the top have to do their bit too.

Hold on, could the HMRC plastic packaging tax mean that the cost of our favourite products goes up?

It’s hard to tell right now, but the government has noted that some manufacturers may pass the cost straight onto their customers. The gov.uk website reads: ‘It is expected that even if all the tax is passed on to individual consumers, the cost to consumers will be small as plastic packaging usually makes up a very small amount of the total cost of goods.’

What does the HMRC plastic packaging tax mean for me?

Having soothed the anxiety that yet another of life’s necessities could be going up in price, there are other things to think about.

Your favourite item could be out of stock for a while. Although it’s not going to be like the vegetable shortage post-Brexit, there are going to be some bumps in the road.

Despite the tax being announced over a year ago, a recent survey carried out by YouGov found that 77% of businesses are still unaware of it. Realistically, until everyone has got their heads around the legislation, there could be issues with supply chains. 

The big plus is that your makeup bag is set to be more planet-friendly. Thanks to the HMRC plastic packaging tax, more and more beauty businesses will be incentivised to up the recycled content in their containers. Although loads of brands have got recycling nailed, even more, are falling behind. By setting a clear standard across the industry, beauty business owners are bound to step up.

Here’s to a cleaner beauty future.