BHETA ADVISES ON IMPENDING PLASTIC TAX LEGISLATION The British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA) held a webinar aimed at all UK housewares, DIY, garden and small electricals suppliers on the implications and preparations required ahead of the forthcoming Plastic Packaging Act (PPA), which comes into force in April 2022. The key speakers were Paul van Danzig and Alyce Morris from BHETA business service provider, Wastepack who outlined everything that supplier companies need to do to comply with the forthcoming legislation. Under the new legislation, from April 2022 all plastic items used in the packaging of products must include a minimum of 30% recycled content, or face taxes of £200 per metric tonne of chargeable plastic packaging components. All suppliers whose products include any plastic component – recycled or not – must submit details to HMRC from April 2022, if the volumes involved meet the ten tonne per tax year threshold. An important learning from the webinar was that even suppliers who are below the volume threshold would be advised to keep records in case of audit – even if they do not have to pay the tax. The legislation may affect any home or garden business that manufactures or imports plastic packaging, including ready packaged goods. The webinar also covered off certain single-use products that might be categorised as packaging for the purposes of the tax and followed on from BHETA’s successful lobbying campaign to clarify the definition of plastic packaging. This lobbying led to the exclusion of multiuse plastic such as home storage containers, lunchboxes and garden planters and storage from the scope of the legislation. BHETA Marketing Manager, Steve Richardson, who co-ordinated the lobbying initiative said, “The amended legislation follows the principle BHETA championed that ‘single use plastics’ are much more challenging for the environment than ‘multi-use’ products. In accordance with this, members need to be aware that any plastic packaging or single use items for home and garden will be liable to the plastic packaging tax. The draft legislation also sets out that single use plastic items for home use, such as carrier bags and plastic cups, are within the scope of the tax.” ETHICAL GIFT AND HOMEWARES BRAND, GREEN & HEATH, ENTERS THE PET MARKET WITH NEW LUXURY PET ACCESSORIES RANGE This month, UK-based, ethical gift and homewares brand, Green & Heath, is introducing a new range for pets. With the launch of a line-up of personalised, embroidered luxury pet accessories, Green & Heath aims to provide beautifully designed pet products that enhance home décor. The range boasts an array of premium velvet accessories including cosy, personalised pet beds, toys and bow ties. Soft, machine washable and designed to last, the range is certain to be a hit with furry four-legged friends and owners alike. As with all Green & Heath products, the pet accessories collection shares the same premium quality and is lovingly handmade in the UK using locally sourced, sustainable materials. Aligning with Green & Heath’s values of creating products for the home that are beautifully and long-lasting, the new collection builds on the Rococo and Baroque styles that first inspired the brand’s creation. Established in 2020 by female entrepreneur, Ellen Green, Green & Heath is passionate about creating elegant, high-quality, sustainably sourced, handmade homeware products. All Green & Heath products, including its new pet accessories range, are designed and handmade in the UK by a team of skilled artisans. The lifestyle brand carefully sources materials locally, where possible, to ensure it invests money back into the community and to help keep emissions low. All Green & Heath products are produced with zero air miles. Green & Heath’s pet accessories are filled with high-quality, soft stuffing using padding off-cuts, resulting in less waste while retaining comfort and durability. Discussing the new collection, Ellen said: “A range of pet accessories seemed liked a very natural fit for Green & Heath. Over the last two years, more and more people have welcomed pets into their home and made them part of the family so, I thought why not let them experience some Green & Heath luxury too? As a dog lover myself, I’ve always wanted to create highquality accessories for my dog Bodhi that I know are going to last but that also compliment the style of my home, and that’s the ethos at the heart of our new range. We wanted to create pieces pet owners can be proud to have out in their homes, pieces that work with their interiors, rather than fighting against them. As always, it was also important to us that the collection be as sustainable as possible, which is why we keep all manufacturing in the UK and fill each piece with premium off-cuts, ensuring a reduction in waste while retaining the opulence and quality our products are known for. “We wanted to create pieces pet owners can be proud to have out in their homes, pieces that work with their interiors, rather than fighting against them.” Green & Heath’s pet accessories are available in three colourways – Blush and Claret Velvet, Royal Navy and Mustard Velvet, Teal and Seafoam Velvet and are all machine washable. Pet beds can be bought online in three sizes, large, medium and small and both the beds and toy bones treats can be embroidered with a name or special message in order to create a custom item for your beloved pet. www.greenandheath.co.uk INDUSTRY NEWS 15
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