Beyond the Headlines: The "28-Point Plan" Your Business Actually Needs Next Wednesday
- JPT Team
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
This week, the global news cycle has been dominated by the proposed 28-point peace plan for Ukraine. Regardless of the geopolitics, the headline highlights a universal truth that every business owner recognises: in times of massive uncertainty, you need a plan.
Let us be clear: at Just Paper Tubes, we stand firmly on the side of Ukraine. The concessions proposed in this draft plan—asking a sovereign nation to trade land for peace—seem exceptionally bitter to swallow. We can only hope that what Chancellor Rachel Reeves serves up in the Autumn Budget next Wednesday is far more palatable than what has been offered to Kyiv.
But while we can’t influence the world stage, we can help you navigate the uncertainty closer to home. British manufacturers are facing their own set of pressures, and whether the Chancellor delivers a soft landing or a hard shock, you need to be ready.
From rising energy costs to the tightening grip of the Plastic Packaging Tax, the landscape is shifting. As a leading cardboard tube manufacturer in the UK, we have analysed the forecasts to give you the certainty you need.
Here is our 28-point guide on how next week’s budget could impact your packaging supply chain—and how JPT helps you stay ahead.
1-7: The Green Tape (And Why Cardboard Wins)
The biggest "watch item" for 2025 remains sustainability regulation. If you are still using plastic cores or bungs, your costs are likely to rise.
Plastic Packaging Tax Hike: The rate is currently £223.69/tonne. Expect the Chancellor to announce an RPI-linked rise for April 2026.
EPR Fees (Extended Producer Responsibility): The base fee for household packaging is set at ~£196/tonne.
The "Modulator" Fees: Watch for news on higher penalties for "hard-to-recycle" composite packaging.
Non-Household Exemption: Confirmation that industrial cores supplied B2B for manufacturing use should remain exempt from the main EPR disposal fees.
UK CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism): Paper is currently safe from this import tax, unlike aluminium or steel.
Incineration Tax: A potential new tax on waste-to-energy could raise your site disposal costs.
Deforestation Regulation (UK-DR): Tighter rules on sourcing raw kraft paper (which JPT is already prepared for).
The JPT Solution: Worried about the Plastic Tax? Switch to our 100% recycled label cores. They are fully recyclable, tax-exempt, and sustainable.
8-14: Logistics & Supply Chain Costs
Cardboard tubes are light but bulky. The cost of moving them matters.
Fuel Duty Unfreeze: The 5p cut is expected to be scrapped. This will spike haulage rates across the UK.
HGV Road User Levy: Increases here will trickle down to delivery surcharges.
Driver Wages: As the National Living Wage rises, courier costs will follow.
Vehicle Excise Duty: Rates for HGV fleets may rise with inflation.
Infrastructure Investment: Look for funding to upgrade key freight routes (A1/M6).
Customs Friction: Funding for "Smart Borders" to help reduce the requirement for checks at ports. (if you've experienced one of these, you'll know!).
Warehousing Costs: Higher energy bills, and business rates for large storage units.
The JPT Solution: With logistics costs rising, you can’t afford to stockpile "fresh air" in your warehouse. Our No MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity) promise means you don't have to order thousands of tubes at once. Order what you need, when you need it, and keep your cash flow healthy.
15-21: Factory Operations & The Workforce
Whether you buy heavy-duty industrial cores for textiles or carpet cores, the cost of making them is under the microscope.
National Living Wage: A likely rise to over £12.50/hour will impact factory floor costs nationwide. (FYI - our lowest pay grade pre budget is £13.09).
Employer National Insurance: Changes to thresholds could increase the tax burden on labour-intensive manufacturers.
British Industry Supercharger: Updates to the energy subsidy scheme for paper mills (we are watching this closely).
Grid Connection Reform: Speeding up power upgrades for automated machinery.
Sick Pay Reform: New "Day One" rights will increase payroll liability.
Business Rates: Will the "Standard Multiplier" for factories rise to fund the retail discount?
Growth & Skills Levy: Hopefully allowing more flexible training for our larger customers.
22-28: Investment & The Future
Full Expensing: We hope the Chancellor confirms permanent tax breaks for investing in new core-winding machinery.
R&D Tax Credits: Tightening rules on what counts as "innovation" in packaging design.
Corporation Tax Roadmap: Certainty on the 25% rate helps UK businesses plan long-term.
Capital Gains Tax: A concern for many of our family-owned customers looking at exit strategies.
Dividend Tax: Potential hikes affecting owner-managed businesses.
VAT Threshold: Changes to this could affected our smaller customers & suppliers.
Industrial Strategy: Formal recognition of Paper & Packaging as a "Foundation Industry."
Our "Peace of Mind" Plan
The news cycle is stressful enough without worrying about your packaging supply. While the politicians argue over 28 points of contention, Just Paper Tubes offers one point of certainty: Reliability.
Whether fuel duty goes up or taxes shift, our British manufacturing base in Yorkshire allows us to react fast. We hold the stock so you don’t have to, and our 24-hour manufacturing operation ensures you never face a line stoppage.
Don't let the Budget catch you off guard.
Contact the JPT Team Today for a quote on your next order of industrial cores or mailing tubes—stability is just a phone call away.
Disclaimer: We Wind Paper, We Don’t Spin Economies While Just Paper Tubes takes pride in manufacturing cores that are incredibly rigid, our ability to predict the UK economy is slightly more flexible.
The "28 Points" above are based on industry forecasts, late-night coffee, and educated guesswork—they are not official financial advice.
Please do not base your entire company’s survival strategy on a blog post from a cardboard manufacturer. The political landscape changes faster than a high-speed winder, and let's be honest: even Rachel Reeves probably doesn't know what Rachel Reeves is going to do yet. (We assume she is currently looking down the back of the Number 11 sofa to see if she can tax the lint).
A Serious Note: We are experts in spiral winding, not international diplomacy. However, our comments on the "Peace Plan" reflect our unshakeable support for Ukraine's right to self-determination, which our view aligning with the official stance of UK and EU.
