In a significant move aimed at boosting transparency and performance in packaging recycling, Reconomy has partnered with tag-and-trace technology specialist Polytag to give brands unprecedented visibility over what happens to their packaging once it enters the waste stream.
The collaboration will see Polytag’s UV tag detection and trace technology installed at Reconomy brand Casepak’s Materials Recycling Facility (MRF). Once operational, the system will capture granular, real-time data on when and where individual packaging items are recycled providing brands with a level of insight previously unavailable at scale.
Data That Could Transform Packaging Design and Compliance
For brands under mounting pressure to prove sustainability progress and comply with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation, the implications are significant. Access to verified recycling data enables businesses to report accurately, identify underperforming formats, and redesign packaging to be lighter, more recyclable, and more cost-efficient.
Reconomy’s compliance arm Valpak, already home to the UK’s largest packaging and product database, will support brands by integrating Polytag’s data into existing reporting systems, enhancing what is already considered one of the industry’s most mature data infrastructures.
“The combination of Casepak’s operational expertise, Valpak’s data capability and Polytag’s trace technology demonstrates the strength of Reconomy’s unique offering,” said Georgina Cullen, Commercial Director at Casepak. “We’re excited to accelerate the shift toward a truly circular economy.”
Advancing the Industry-Wide Ecotrace Programme
The deployment also marks a new milestone for the Ecotrace Programme, an initiative backed by major retailers including Marks & Spencer, Ocado Retail and Waitrose & Partners. The programme aims to build a transparent, scalable system for packaging traceability, something many in the sector see as essential for meeting national recycling and resource efficiency goals.
According to Steve Gough, CEO of Valpak, the new data stream adds valuable depth to the insights his organisation already provides. “As demand for greater transparency increases, this partnership adds a new dimension to our data resources,” he said.
A Step Toward a Fully Traceable Recycling Ecosystem
For Polytag, the Casepak installation represents another step toward closing the data gap that has long challenged the recycling sector.
“Every installation brings us closer to a fully transparent and verifiable recycling system,” said Jon Anderson, CTO at Polytag. “Reconomy has played a major role in the Ecotrace Programme, and we’re proud to work with the forward-thinking teams at Casepak and Valpak to make this vision a reality.”
As brands prepare for tighter packaging regulations and heightened scrutiny from consumers, the Reconomy–Polytag partnership offers a compelling model for how data and technology can unlock new efficiencies—and accelerate the transition to a circular packaging economy.
