The UK Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM): turning recyclability into a financial metric. RAM converts 'design for recycling' from a qualitative aspiration into a quantified rating that directly influences UK EPR fees for beauty and personal care packaging. The Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) is the mechanism that converts "design for recycling" from a qualitative aspiration into a quantified rating that directly influences UK EPR fees. From January 2025, all liable producers that supply household packaging must assess and report the recyclability of that packaging using RAM. What RAM is and how it works. RAM is a government-specified framework, developed with PA Consulting and Defra, that evaluates each packaging component against actual UK recycling infrastructure. It looks at how easily a given item can be: * Collected in household systems * Sorted by UK MRFs and sorting technologies * Reprocessed by recyclers into secondary raw material * Applied in new products at meaningful scale Each packaging component is given a Red, Amber or Green (RAG) rating under RAM. These ratings are then used to modulate household packaging disposal fees under EPR, with "green" formats incurring lower fees and "red" formats attracting higher charges. Version 1.1 of RAM was published in April 2025, and a technical advisory committee will review and update it annually to reflect changes in UK infrastructure and policy. For beauty and personal care, RAM applies to household packaging components such as bottles, jars, caps, pumps, labels and outer cartons; non-household packaging is outside RAM's scope for now. Producers must complete RAM assessments for each relevant component from the 2025 packaging year and report the data according to regulatory timelines. Why RAM is critical for beauty brands. Beauty packaging often uses multiple materials, complex formats and high-impact aesthetics, all of which can complicate recyclability. RAM turns these technical nuances into a clear financial signal: * A "green" PET bottle with compatible closures and labels will attract lower modulated fees than a similar bottle with incompatible materials or formats that diminish recyclability. * An "amber" or "red" rating for components like pumps, sleeves or multi-material cartons will raise fees and may push brands to redesign to avoid ongoing cost penalties. * As RAM is updated over time, formats that are marginal today may become more or less favourable depending on how UK infrastructure evolves. For beauty and personal care brands, this means recyclability can no longer be treated as a secondary consideration behind aesthetics and cost. RAM effectively embeds recycling performance into the core economics of packaging. Building RAM into design and governance. To stay ahead, brands should integrate RAM thinking across the packaging lifecycle: * **Design and innovation:** Specify materials, formats and components known to achieve green RAM ratings, based on current versions of the methodology. * **Supplier selection and qualification:** Ask converters and component suppliers for RAM-aligned specifications and evidence of recyclability in UK systems. * **Portfolio reviews:** Prioritise redesign of high-volume SKUs where RAM indicates red or amber components, focusing on simplification and mono-material solutions. * **Scenario modelling:** Quantify the cost difference between red, amber and green outcomes to build strong internal business cases for change. In effect, RAM turns recyclability into a design constraint and an optimisation opportunity. Beauty and personal care brands that engineer for green ratings will be better positioned to control EPR costs, support credible sustainability claims and align with retailer expectations in the UK market. How Packgine helps. RAM Rating Engine: Packgine automatically assesses every packaging component against current RAM criteria, giving you instant Red, Amber or Green ratings across your entire portfolio. Fee Impact Modelling: See the direct financial impact of RAM ratings on your EPR fees. Packgine quantifies the cost difference between red, amber and green outcomes so you can prioritise redesign efforts. Design-for-Recycling Guidance: Its platform recommends specific material and format changes to move components from red or amber to green, with projected cost savings for each change. Portfolio Optimisation: Packgine identifies high-volume SKUs with poor RAM ratings and suggests simplification and mono-material solutions that reduce both fees and environmental impact.

Rafiek Versmissen joins PA Consulting's Energy and Utilities team as Partner. 06 March 2026 PA Consulting (PA), the global innovation and transformation consultancy, has welcomed Rafiek Versmissen as a Partner in its Energy and Utilities team in the UK. At PA, Rafiek will help grow and strengthen the firm's work with energy clients, supporting utilities, investors, and regulators to make well-balanced strategic decisions that optimise the planning, design and delivery of energy networks, maximising their role as enablers of the energy transition. Rafiek brings more than 20 years of experience advising the energy sector on economic, financial, regulatory, and strategic issues for utilities and investors. He joins PA from DNV, where he was Director and Head of Energy Strategy Advisory, and has also held senior roles at KPMG and NERA. His expertise includes whole systems assessments, strategic advisory for regulators, and the design of energy market change programmes that balance economic, technological, environmental, and sociocultural factors. Rafiek's appointment further strengthens PA's market leading energy and utilities capability, supporting clients across the energy value chain to navigate industry transformation and accelerate investment in future ready, digitally enabled, resilient energy systems. Recent work for PA's Energy and Utilities team includes supporting major asset management programmes, enabling grid modernisation, helping utilities merge to form next generation networks, and delivering initiatives that improve resilience, sustainability, and customer outcomes. Contact the team. PA Consulting Group look forward to hearing from you.

PA Consulting welcomes Henry Turner to its Defence and Security team. 12 February 2026 PA Consulting (PA), the global innovation and transformation consultancy, has appointed Henry Turner as a Partner in its Defence and Security team. Henry will work with defence and national security organisations to accelerate technology transformation, enhance commercial strategy, and strengthen supply chain resilience - helping clients achieve real impact. A former Royal Marine, Henry brings more than two decades of experience in delivering complex, mission-critical change across central government and the national security community. He has previously served as a Commercial Specialist at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and a Partner at EY. He is also a Chartered Accountant. Henry's appointment reflects PA's investment in growing its Defence and Security team across the UK and Europe. PA works in partnership with clients to create solutions that build a safe, secure, and sustainable human future. From shaping procurement strategies to driving digital transformation and building multinational capabilities, PA translates proven approaches into specific solutions, using technology, intelligence, and data to create sustained advantage. Bring ingenuity to your inbox. Subscribe for the latest insights and event invites on strategy, innovation, technology, and transformation. Contact the team. PA Consulting Group look forward to hearing from you.