Valpak by Reconomy policy shaping PackFlow reports now available to all

Valpak by Reconomy has made its full catalogue of PackFlow reports accessible to all, through a dedicated website at www.valpak.co.uk/knowledge-hub-post/packflow-2025-2/.

The PackFlow reports have shaped environmental policy and sustainability strategies both in the UK and internationally, as well as providing a critical evidence base for cost calculations, research projects and investment in infrastructure. In addition to specific material flows, the reports have informed decisions and highlighted challenges in areas ranging from the UK’s ban on single use plastics, to compliance risks associated with waste electrical and electronic equipment.  

Director of Valpak’s 14 strong consulting team, James Skidmore, said: ‘Every change, from the smallest tweak to full system transformation, should be rooted in evidence. The PackFlow reports combine the UK’s largest packaging and product dataset – over 60 million stock keeping units – with expert consultancy, enabling us to prepare businesses and government for future trends and tackle current issues.

‘We hope that bringing the reports together in one place will make these resources more accessible. The wider aim is to ensure that future decisions are based on robust evidence and, hopefully, to trigger ideas to accelerate the transition to more transparent, fair and circular systems.’

The report library contains a full archive of PackFlow studies, presented in a clear, filterable format. Examples of the new online resources include:

Valpak Data Shapes UK Wet Wipes Ban: Valpak’s research revealed that the number of wet wipes placed on the market in the UK each year is close to 30.5 billion – almost three times the original estimate. This information has directly informed proposed legislation to restrict the supply and sale of plastic containing wet wipes.

Shaping UK packaging policy with Defra, WRAP & the UK Plastics Pact: Valpak created detailed models of packaging flows across the UK. These were used by Defra to shape EPR proposals, by WRAP to guide Plastics Pact targets, and by industry to benchmark performance and plan investments.

The Circular Economy at Work: Jobs & Skills for London’s Low-Carbon Future demonstrated that London’s circular economy has a potential worth of £24.2 billion by 2030, creating over 250,000 new jobs across diverse sectors and skill levels.

Additional reports include comprehensive insights into UK packaging flows, recycling, and compliance risks; analysis of milk packaging in the UK; and evidence on how the pandemic reshaped packaging markets and recycling performance.

The first PackFlow reports were published in 2010 and 2012, and covered all materials. However, in 2013 it was decided that a more comprehensive analysis of materials flows was required. As such, the first material specific PlasFlow 2017 report was published. This involved engaging key industry stakeholders to ensure that the most up to date methodologies and data sources were used. It helped to identify accurate recycling rates and ensured that government had access to the most robust estimates of packaging flows in the UK, when setting future targets.

Since then, the PackFlow projects have been conducted periodically for all packaging materials. They have all been conducted in close collaboration with key industry stakeholders, to ensure that all estimates are as robust as possible, and that the sector can work collaboratively to solve any challenges it may face.