As businesses come under growing pressure to reduce their environmental impact, the tools used to assess packaging recyclability are getting sharper. One of the most important? RAM – the Recyclability Assessment Methodology.
Introduced as part of the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) reform, RAM is the system that determines how recyclable your packaging is. The packaging will fall into either red, amber or green category and this will determine the EPR fees your business pays. At Duo, we help our customers to understand RAM methodology and design packaging products that are ready for this shift.
What is RAM?
From 1st January 2025, liable producers who supply household packaging must assess the recyclability of that packaging using Pack UK’s Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) and report the results to the environmental regulator.
Developed in collaboration with industry and led by WRAP, it gives packaging a clear recyclability rating based on the current infrastructure and capabilities using the Red, Amber, Green system.
Crucially, RAM doesn’t just look at whether materials are technically recyclable. It asks:
- Can this packaging be easily collected, sorted and reprocessed within the UK system?
- Are all the components – film, seals, labels inks compatible with recycling processes?
- Is it clearly labelled for consumers and easy to recycle after use?
The outputs will fall into one of three categories:
- Red packaging has specifications that make it difficult to recycle at scale
- Amber packaging may experience challenges during collection and sortation, requires specialist infrastructure for reprocessing, the efficiency and output quality of reprocessing is affected, or there is some secondary material loss
- Green packaging is widely recyclable in the current UK infrastructure
Designing Packaging to perform better under RAM
Improving your RAM score starts with the design stage. Duo supports brands with:
- Mono material film packaging – Packaging products made at our UK manufacturing site are produced using LDPE only.
- Closed Loop recycling systems – We partner with UK recycling facilities to offer clients a take-back scheme. Collect used LDPE, recycle it into raw material and return it to the supply chain. You reduce waste and get full traceability on material use.
- Clear Labelling – RAM places strong emphasis on consumer clarity. We help you include visible, compliance “how to recycle” messaging, supported by on-pack artwork that eliminates confusion.
- Artwork support – Our in-house team can adapt or develop artwork specifically for better recyclability – whether that means simplifying colours and finishes, highlighting recycling symbols, or ensuring your message stands out with compromising aesthetics.
Recyclability isn’t just about the materials, it’s also about what your customer sees, understands, and does at the end of use.
Designing with Recyclability in Mind: The ACAI Outdoors Example
Before RAM was introduced, ACAI outdoors had already taken steps to improve the end-of-life impact of their packaging. We developed a branded mailing bags for ACAI with just 15% ink coverage to support higher-quality recycling. The packaging also featured a QR code linking to the brands sustainability commitments and included a second glue strip to make reuse easy for customers.
These small but intentional design decisions are exactly the kind of actions that can improve recyclability. By reducing ink coverage, prioritising reuse, and clearly communicating environmental efforts, brands can make packaging that performs better both in customers’ hands and for recyclability.
Why this matters now
The first recyclability reporting deadline for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is on 1st October 2025 and the RAM methodology must be applied to household packaging placed on the market from 1st January 2025. The latest RAM version 1.1 was released in April 2025 following a number of key improvements aimed at helping producers complete their recyclability assessment more efficiently. Whether you’re developing limited-edition campaigns or reviewing your core packaging range, we’ll help you make informed design decisions that improve recyclability and maintain product performance.
📩 Ready to align your packaging with RAM and stay ahead of EPR changes? Get in touch: [email protected]
Source: Recyclability assessment methodology: how to assess your packaging waste – GOV.UK