Ambient and chilled foods saw the largest growth since 2022, rising by 62 per cent and 42 per cent respectively. Over two thirds of organisations cited increased capacity to store and handle ambient, chilled and frozen foods as a driver. Seventy-six per cent of surplus food went through charitable routes, with the remaining 24 per cent redistributed commercially.

Since WRAP began tracking redistribution in 2015, the cumulative total has reached 990,000 tonnes, worth over £4 billion and equivalent to nearly 2.4 billion meals. The organisation estimates that 110,000 tonnes of post-farm surplus still has potential for redistribution, rising to 470,000 tonnes when on-farm surplus is included.

Ebilayefa Gbakena, a doctoral student at Coventry University's Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering, is leading the research. The study involves material testing and microstructural analysis to assess whether high-quality strip steels from vehicle body panels can maintain their mechanical properties after repurposing. With around 1.8 million vehicles reaching end of life in the UK each year, the scrap steel is traditionally shredded and melted in an energy-intensive process.

Gbakena said the research is at an experimental stage and is intended to augment traditional recycling, not replace it. “We need to show that this repurposed steel really is a low-carbon alternative to recycling,” he said. Those interested in taking part can find details on the Coventry University website.

The system delivered 27,826 metric tonnes of aluminium and 24,835 metric tonnes of PET to material buyers in 2025. Sara Bergendorff, head of sustainability and quality at Returpack/Pantamera, said returning containers through the deposit system rather than general packaging recycling cuts the carbon footprint of the materials in half, keeping them in closed loops that preserve quality for reuse as new packaging.

High-capacity reverse vending machines, which allow entire bags of containers to be emptied at once, now account for 14 per cent of all machines but handle 45 per cent of total volume. Launched in 1984 as the world's first deposit return system, Sweden has collected more than 55 billion bottles and cans to date.

The signatories, which include CEPI, Eurofer, Plastics Europe, Recycling Europe and EXPRA, warn that the requirement to submit shipment information two working days in advance creates disproportionate logistical and administrative burdens, particularly in border regions where spontaneous shipments are common. They are calling for a harmonised EU approach, flexibility during the transition including alternative means for Annex VII documentation, and a review of the advance submission requirement.

Five additional associations representing the paper, metals and extended producer responsibility sectors joined the letter ahead of a Waste Shipment Expert Group meeting, bringing the total number of signatories to 16.