Tesco and M&S Bosses to Chair Industry Expert Groups in UK Packaging Pact

The UK Packaging Pact has appointed five industry leaders from major retail, manufacturing, and waste management firms to chair its core Industry Expert Groups (IEGs). These groups are tasked with transforming plastic packaging design and recycling as part of a 10-year voluntary agreement running from 2026 to 2035. The initiative, supported by the NGO Wrap, aims to eliminate unnecessary packaging and transition the sector toward a circular economy by fostering high-level collaboration across the supply chain.

The UK Packaging Pact, a successor to the 2018 UK Plastics Pact, has officially named the chairs for its five specialized Industry Expert Groups (IEGs) to drive the transition toward a circular economy. James Bull, head of packaging and food waste strategies at Tesco, will lead the ‘Scale Reuse and Refill’ group, which is focused on developing interoperable systems to increase the proportion of reusable packaging compared to single-use alternatives. Bull noted that industry collaboration is the only way to realize meaningful progress in scalable reuse solutions that work for both businesses and consumers.

Other key appointments include Clare Edgar, head of packaging at M&S, who will chair the ‘Harmonising Data’ IEG. This group intends to simplify and standardize data reporting requirements to improve traceability and enable more informed, data-led design and sourcing decisions. Additionally, Jamie Riley of Robinson Packaging will lead the group for optimizing packaging, while Stuart Hayward-Higham of Suez Recycling & Recovery UK will head the circular infrastructure investment group. Brian Lodge, director of packaging at the British Plastics Federation, has been selected to chair the films and flexibles group.

These IEGs are scheduled to meet in the coming months to finalize work plans and initiate task groups that will set out high-level roadmaps for each strategic goal. The announcement comes as the pact expands its influence, with Diageo, L’Oreal UK and Ireland, and Pilgrim’s Europe recently joining the agreement. With these new additions, the UK Packaging Pact now represents 90 percent of the UK’s grocery retail market. Helen Bird, head of packaging at Wrap, stated that the new chairs will provide the essential steering needed to ensure action plans meet the needs of the industry while moving at a pace that complements external environmental initiatives.