British glassmakers have launched the Back British-made Glass Charter, a voluntary initiative designed to strengthen domestic glass manufacturing and highlight its strategic importance to the UK economy. The Charter was officially launched on 16 September 2026 at the Glass & Glazing Collective parliamentary reception.
Led by British Glass, the initiative calls on MPs, Peers, businesses, public bodies, customers and other stakeholders to recognise the long-term economic, environmental and social value of maintaining glass production in the UK.
The Charter sets out five commitments: recognising the strategic importance of UK glass manufacturing; supporting British glass producers; promoting a competitive and level playing field; encouraging sustainable domestic production; and fostering investment and collaboration.
The initiative comes as UK glassmakers face rising costs linked to government policies. British Glass argues that the current packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fee structure can disadvantage glass compared with plastic, despite glass being endlessly recyclable. 
According to British Glass Executive Director Dr Nick Kirk, the sector contributes more than £2 billion annually to the UK economy and supports over 120,000 jobs across its supply chain.
The closure of Electric Glass Fiber UK last year, which resulted in approximately 250 job losses, also ended the UK’s only continuous filament glass fibre production, a material used in applications including wind turbine blades.
Source: British Glass with additional information added by Glass Balkan
