Amcor has partnered with Tiptree, the preserves and spreads brand owned by Wilkin & Sons, to introduce shrink and stretch films containing 30% post-consumer recycled plastic. The move prepares Tiptree for changes to the UK Plastic Packaging Tax due in April 2027, when only post-consumer recycled content will count towards the 30% recycled plastic threshold. Tiptree has adopted Amcor’s RecyClass-certified collation shrink film and Bontite® Sustane® pallet stretch wrap. Produced in the UK, the materials are intended to retain the load stability, operational efficiency and packaging performance required across the brand’s logistics operations.
Preparing For Tax Changes
The packaging decision responds to a clear shift in the tax rules governing recycled plastic content. From April 2027, post-industrial recycled material will no longer contribute towards the minimum recycled content threshold under the UK Plastic Packaging Tax, placing greater emphasis on verified post-consumer recycled, or PCR, feedstocks.
For Tiptree, independently certified PCR content offers a practical route to meeting the changing requirement while maintaining the reliability expected from transit packaging. The company’s new shrink and stretch films each incorporate 30% PCR material, with certification intended to support accurate sustainability reporting.
Manuel Martinez, packaging buyer at Wilkin & Sons, said:
“Our relationship with Amcor is collaborative, so faced with upcoming PPT changes it was natural to lean on Amcor’s knowledge and expertise. We’ve been incorporating recycled content into our packaging for some time and having that content independently verified via RecyClass, with certification, gives us confidence in the traceability of the material. Just as important, we have maintained the packaging performance and the level of operational efficiency that our business depends on.”
Traceable Recycled Content
Both materials are made at Amcor’s UK manufacturing sites in Leominster and Bromborough. They hold RecyClass Recycled Plastics Traceability Certification under EN15343, providing independent verification of the PCR plastic used in each film.
The certification confirms that the recycled material is traceable through controlled production processes aligned with recognised European standards. In a packaging market where recycled-content claims are receiving closer scrutiny, this verification gives brand owners a documented basis for reporting the source and composition of the materials they use.
The transition also illustrates the importance of aligning recycled-content targets with the performance needs of packaging used outside the consumer-facing product. Collation shrink film and pallet stretch wrap must protect goods through storage, handling and distribution, making strength and consistency central to adoption.
Performance In Logistics Packaging
Amcor’s approach is centred on incorporating PCR into films without compromising their practical role in logistics. The collation shrink film and Bontite Sustane stretch wrap are designed to support load stability and packaging efficiency, while contributing to total cost of ownership objectives for customers.
Using recycled material in shrink and stretch films can present technical challenges, particularly where film consistency and mechanical performance are essential. The partnership positions certified recycled content as part of a usable packaging specification rather than a standalone percentage claim.
Gabrielle Ditsch, sales director at Amcor, said:
“We’ve worked with Tiptree for many years. We’re always looking at ways we can help customers increase the use of recycled content in their packaging without compromising on performance. Incorporating PCR into shrink and stretch films can be technically challenging, which is why our focus has been on delivering solutions that maintain the strength, consistency and efficiency customers expect.”
Certification Meets Customer Needs
The partnership reflects a wider need for packaging suppliers and brand owners to assess both the amount and provenance of recycled content as legislative requirements develop. PCR content, traceability and verified production controls are increasingly relevant considerations alongside the day-to-day performance of a packaging format.
Amcor combines its UK manufacturing footprint with certified sites, traceability systems and expertise in material science, recycling and regulatory alignment. Its films are validated through testing and customer trials, supporting brands that need packaging material capable of functioning reliably in established operations.
Gabrielle Ditsch, sales director at Amcor, said:
“Customers are increasingly looking beyond recycled content percentages alone and asking where that material comes from, how it is verified and how it performs in practice. That’s why certification, traceability and product performance all matter. By combining independently certified PCR content with high-performing film technologies, we can help customers meet evolving requirements while supporting packaging efficiency, product protection and total cost of ownership.”
A Practical Packaging Transition
Tiptree’s adoption of 30% PCR shrink and stretch films provides a timely example of how brands can prepare for the 2027 Plastic Packaging Tax change without separating compliance from operational requirements. By selecting materials with independently verified post-consumer recycled content, the company can address a changing tax threshold while retaining the packaging performance needed across its supply chain.
For Amcor, the project demonstrates the value of pairing recycled-content innovation with traceable sourcing and proven logistics performance. As the rules around recycled plastic become more specific, collaborations of this kind will be important for companies seeking credible, workable packaging improvements.
