The Plastic Tax is back at the center of the debate on the future of plastics. After several postponements in Italy, what does this tax really mean for companies and the sector?
In recent years, there has been a lot of talk about the Plastic Tax, the tax on non-recycled plastic packaging designed to encourage a more circular economy. In Italy, its introduction has been postponed several times and, to date, it is scheduled to come into force in July 2026. This continuous postponement, on the one hand, responds to the production needs of companies, on the other it slows down the development of a more sustainable supply chain, based on the use of recycled materials and increasingly advanced recovery technologies. Maintaining competitive costs remains a priority for many companies in the plastics sector, which often continue to choose virgin raw materials, which are cheaper and easier to manage. However, without a concrete incentive or penalty, investing in alternative or recycled materials may be less convenient, despite the growing attention of consumers towards more sustainable products.
At European level, different approaches are observed. In Spain the tax is already operational, but the adoption of recycled plastic is advancing slowly. In the United Kingdom, many companies have preferred to pay the tax rather than modify the materials used. On the contrary, countries such as France and the Czech Republic have introduced eco-modulation systems: they reward the use of materials that are easy to recycle and penalize the more complex ones, stimulating virtuous behaviors along the entire supply chain.
At Temakrom we constantly monitor regulatory and market developments, to support our customers in the search for efficient and sustainable solutions. Even without immediate obligations, we believe that innovation, responsibility and information are essential to face future challenges and maintain competitiveness in a market that is increasingly attentive to the environment. Staying up to date on these issues and anticipating changes means transforming a possible cost into an opportunity for growth and improvement for the entire plastics sector.