The Recyclability Assessment Methodology is UK government guidance that ensures producers meet legal requirements and, ultimately, design more sustainable packaging. To establish this vital foundation of the UK’s circularity ambitions, the government turned to PA Consulting for help in designing and defining the methodology.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for improving and protecting the UK environment. As part of its remit, it needed to deliver a Recycling Assessment Methodology (RAM) on behalf of the four nations that was informed by industry input and built on consensus.

The primary objective was to provide businesses with a clear, robust methodology for assessing the recyclability of packaging placed on the UK market. For that, Defra needed a methodology that could classify packaging materials across eight different types into red, amber, or green categories – each with financial implications for producers. But the landscape was fraught with complexity: a lack of shared definitions, stakeholder fatigue, and the sheer diversity of the industry landscape across all material categories.

These assessments would feed directly into financial obligations under the eco-modulated fee framework, ensuring the system was fair, effective, and delivered on the objectives set out in the new packaging legislation. To deliver on this, Defra contacted PA Consulting for support.

Ross Lakhdari, a PA packaging expert at PA Consulting, recalled, “We knew we had to build trust with key industry members from across the packaging sector from the very beginning. The legislation was already in force, requiring us to work at an exceptional speed.”

The challenge was not just technical – it was political, logistical, and reputational. The team needed to bring together an industry fragmented across material categories, adapt to evolving policies and definitions, and develop a solution that was both robust and practical, while remaining accessible and easy to interpret.

Applying proven expertise

The consultancy worked with the UK government to develop a robust, industry-supported methodology to underpin new packaging legislation. PA Consulting’s experience working across different material categories and the entire value chain, including material recovery and reprocessing, gave its team a unique insight into the technical and operational constraints of recycling packaging waste – insight that the consultants drew on to inform the design of the RAM.

At the same time, to establish trust and overcome the challenge of stakeholder fatigue, the consultants prioritised meaningful engagement throughout the project. Establishing four dedicated working groups, the firm hosted a series of material-specific sessions to ensure that its industry partners remained informed and involved. These forums provided structured opportunities for feedback as the RAM evolved, helping to maintain transparency and build trust across the different stakeholders.

Operating under a tight six-month deadline driven by legal requirements, however, one of the most complex hurdles became reaching consensus on key definitions and thresholds among different segments of the industry. To achieve this, PA Consulting worked as an external third-party, maintaining a balanced perspective, guiding all parties toward a shared understanding, and ultimately agreement on a workable framework for the RAM.

Alex Hilton, head of RAM at Defra, explained, “We were clear that a ‘One Team’ approach was the only way, and PA were able to bring agile delivery expertise paired with a holistic view of the packaging sector. They considered a broad range of stakeholder impacts, consumer behavioural insights, international contexts, and the future policy landscape. That was invaluable for us.”

Sustainable foundation for the future

The RAM was delivered on time and is now a key component of the pEPR landscape, affecting every producer that places household packaging on to the UK market. It’s a foundational piece for the UK’s future circular economy ambitions.

PA Consulting willingness to listen to all the relevant stakeholders, take the time to understand their views, and consider whether their suggestions were appropriate, was critical to that.

Hilton concluded, “They were able to distinguish between genuine technical input and industry lobbying to provide a meaningful and accurate assessment. Their ability to build trust across the value chain ultimately reset the work for Defra and PackUK.”