The initiative builds on results from the FlexCollect project, serving as a collaborative effort with input from DEFRA, PackUK, Welsh Government and Zero Waste Scotland, as well as a specially commissioned project team made up of Suez, CEFLEX, WRAP and RECOUP.

“We’re delighted to build on the success of the FPF FlexCollect project and continue to work alongside experts in the industry to take flexible plastic recycling to the next level,” said Gareth Morton, discovery manager at Ecosurety and FPF lead, in a statement. “FPF FlexCircular is about turning the proof of collections into a real, investable circular system. By understanding what the UK needs in terms of investment, infrastructure and policy, we can maximize the opportunity to recycle flexible plastics at scale, creating benefits for industry, consumers and the environment alike.”

The initial project is undertaking comprehensive research to determine the scale of investment required in the UK to recycle up to 400,000 tons of post-consumer flexible plastic packaging by 2030, it says. There will be focus on achieving circularity for food-contact packaging by recycling it back into food-contact packaging.

The project seeks to answer key questions for both industry and policymakers, FPF says, including the following:

• How much recycled flexible plastic might be needed by industry from 2030 onwards, and will supply meet demand?
• What types of recycling facilities (mechanical, chemical or future technologies) may be needed in the UK, and at what capacity?
• What level of investment might be required to build this infrastructure?
• What are the costs and risks of continuing with ‘business as usual’ (using virgin plastics) and what are the conditions (mix of policies and incentives) that may help align the value chain to support UK recycling infrastructure investment?

“The FlexCiruclar project represents a pivotal moment for flexible packaging in the UK,” said Richard Akkermans, FPF spokesperson and R&D packaging sustainability manager, Europe, at Mondelez International, in a statement. “We’ve proven that collection at scale is possible — the next opportunity is to close the loop by investing in the recycling infrastructure to match. For the Flexible Plastic Fund, achieving circularity for food-contact flexible plastics isn’t just an ambition, it’s a necessity. This research aims to provide the roadmap the value chain needs to invest in the UK with confidence and deliver positive environmental outcomes for the future.”

FPF is a collaborative fund that gives value to flexible plastic films, so they are properly recycled. The fund, established in 2021, is managed by market-leading producer responsibility compliance scheme Ecosurety and works to accelerate the recycling of post-consumer flexible plastic packaging (FPP) in the UK. FPF supports large-scale collection through various initiatives. The ongoing FlexCircular program focuses on scaling recycling FPP at a national level and identifying investment priorities and solutions to ensure the material can be recycled at scale and returned to high-value applications, it says. 

The latest project is slated to report its findings by the end of 2026.