Tom Reynolds Aug 26, 2026
Another burden for brands: new Calais rules on wooden packaging
Businesses exporting goods through Calais should be aware of a new French border procedure for wood packaging material (WPM), due to take effect from 1 September 2026.
It is a little outside the British Brands Group’s usual policy remit, but it is worth highlighting both because some members may be affected and because it is another example of the bureaucratic burden steadily accumulating on branded goods businesses.
The new SIVEP procedure requires relevant wooden packaging, including pallets, to be recorded through TRACES. Businesses may be required to provide information including the type, quantity and weight of packaging, its country of origin and the individual ISPM 15 marking number. The procedure shows operators creating a CHED-PP specifically for wood packaging and entering these details before submitting it for a decision.
There remain questions about precisely which consignments are affected and how the requirements will work in practice, particularly for businesses using pooled pallet systems. Businesses exporting through Calais should therefore contact their logistics provider or local Chamber of Commerce for advice on whether the change affects them and what they need to do.
But there is a wider point here, which is what interests me. The Prime Minister has today pledged in the Financial Times to “take pressure off” business. This is a good example of the sort of niche but potentially disruptive trade barrier where government-to-government engagement with the French authorities could make life easier for British exporters.
There are even bigger opportunities closer to home. Branded goods suppliers are already absorbing substantial additional costs from packaging regulation. Pausing the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), or suspending Packaging Recovery Note (PRN) obligations, would provide immediate relief to businesses. Unlike the Calais issue, these are levers firmly within the UK Government’s own hands.
And the benefit would not stop with business. Packaging costs ultimately form part of the cost of putting everyday products on supermarket shelves. At a time when the Government is rightly focused on the cost of living, reducing unnecessary regulatory costs on branded goods suppliers could help relieve pressure on consumers too.
Taking pressure off business is a welcome ambition. The quickest way to demonstrate it is to start removing some of the pressures government can control, with disruptive trade barriers a longer-term target.