A union representing glass workers in Yorkshire has expressed relief after a partial U-turn on new taxes that they warned “was devastating” the industry.

Yorkshire has 44 per cent of direct glass production at eight sites employing around 2600 people and thousands more in supply chain.

Defra said the fees were introduced to incentivise businesses to switch to more sustainable packaging. Changes announced on Thursday would make the system “fairer and better targeted.”

Easy-to-recycle packaging like glass and paper would cost less and hard-to-recycle packaging including some plastics would cost more, helping cut fees by up to 40% per year. 

In the Home Secretary’s Knottingley constituency, there are three factories which make glass for packaging – Verallia, Stoelzle Flaconnage and Ardagh. Beatson Clark in Rotherham also makes glass packaging.

placeholder image — In the Home Secretary’s Knottingley constituency, there are three factories which make glass for packaging – Verallia, Stoelzle Flaconnage and Ardagh. Beatson Clark in Rotherham also makes glass packaging.

Defra has also pledged to tackle double charging for recycling the same packaging, saving businesses up to 6p per beer bottle and 10p per wine bottle.

The changes also mean that glasses sold directly by producers to pubs, restaurants, and other licensed premises will no longer be liable for the fees from April 2027.

Dave Douglas, Chair of the GMB Manufacturing and Energy Workers Panel, said the rethink was a significant step in the right direction – but there was more to do: "GMB has been clear from the start: you can't claim to support British manufacturing and then introduce environmental policies that put our own factories and workers at a disadvantage. The glass tax was devastating to the industry - this isn't just another industry on a Government spreadsheet.

"In places like Knottingley, it's generations of skilled workers, decent wages and families who've built their lives around these factories.”

Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle said: "We’ve listened to industry and hospitality businesses and are stepping in to reduce the fees for the most recyclable packaging – including tackling double charging on glass bought by pubs. This government is committed to supporting British business and these changes back the glass industry and pubs while making sure we’re all doing our bit to reduce waste.”

In the Home Secretary’s Yvette Cooper Knottingley constituency, there are three factories which make glass for packaging – Verallia, Stoelzle Flaconnage and Ardagh. Beatson Clark in Rotherham also makes glass packaging.

Rotherham MP Sarah Champion said she was thrilled the government had listened, adding: ‘It was never right that policies intended to encourage wider recycling were forcing businesses to reverse course away from sustainable alternatives to plastic.”

Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said there would be “much relief” across the over the reduction in fees and the government’s seeking to end “pernicious double charging" unfairly affecting pubs.

She said: “These measures could reduce cost pressures on Britain’s brewers by tens of millions.

"However, it is vital that the 12,000 publicans that run leased and tenanted pubs as SMEs are also be included, as otherwise over a quarter of Britain’s pubs will not equally benefit from this important change.”