Packaging: report proposes to end monopoly in Spain

The Spanish competition authority (CNMC) has published a report on packaging waste management.

The report specifically analyses competition in Spain’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) system.

Until 2024, only two producer responsibility organisations (PROs) were active on the market: for light packaging, paper and cardboard, and glass packaging respectively.

The CNMC has analysed the management of packaging waste destined for the yellow container (including plastic, cartons and metal cans) and glass. The report concludes that favouring competition is essential to improve its functioning.

In particular, the report identifies the following barriers to competition which create inefficiency in the sector:

• high bureaucratic burdens that impede the authorisation and entry of new PROs
• restrictions on the ability of producers to switch between PROs and participate in more than one PRO
• lack of co-ordination between PROs
• restriction of competition in the allocation of packaging waste
• limitations in traceability and fraud detection, and
• challenges in extending EPR to commercial and industrial packaging

To remove these barriers, the CNMC calls on the government to actively promote and enforce a competitive EPR system for packaging.

It is not only about recycling processes and compliance, it is also about networking. ERP shares knowledge, insights, and news so that together we can promote the sustainable agenda.