Industry
Cider
Challenge
Facing a £700,000 EPR tax bill and major supermarket opportunities, Healeys needed packaging that was nimble, cost-effective, and retail-ready.
Results
A printed can program built with Cask gave them shelf impact, volume flexibility, and regulatory peace of mind.
Key Product
Can Supply
EPR tax isn’t something businesses can afford to react to—it requires proactive planning. The producers who get ahead now, model their costs, and make smart packaging shifts will be the ones who stay competitive long-term. This isn’t just about compliance—it’s about protecting your margins and building a resilient supply strategy.
About Healeys
Family-founded in 1980, Healeys is Cornwall’s largest independent cider maker—and one of its most iconic. Known for the vibrant Rattler brand, Healeys is more than a cidery: it’s a destination that welcomes over 400,000 visitors a year, produces its own whiskey, jam, juices, and vinegar, and maintains a working farm and visitor experience that includes tractor rides, tastings, and tours. Proudly rooted in tradition and committed to innovation, Healeys blends family values with forward-looking sustainability.
The Challenge
By 2025, Healeys found themselves at the intersection of legacy and legislation. On one side: decades of heritage, an award-winning Rattler brand, and a growing national presence. On the other: the looming impact of the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) tax on glass packaging, projected to cost the business over £700,000 per year.
Glass no longer made financial or environmental sense—especially as major grocers like Tesco began pushing for canned formats. Add to that a fast-moving internal culture, shifting SKUs, and the commissioning of a brand-new canning line from Italy, and the urgency for a strategic packaging partner became clear.
Healeys needed more than just a can supplier. They needed a partner who could flex with them, fast-track new SKUs, manage production forecasting and offer a buffer against the chaos of transition.
The Solution
Healeys worked with Cask to shift their core products into cans—starting with their 500ml Rattler Original in printed cans and their 330ml Rattler Fruit SKUs in blank cans for label flexibility. Their can supply program with Cask supports them through:
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Submitting ATMs to Ball Corporation to reserve production line space
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Advising on design upgrades including tactile finishes, colored lids, and partial print formats that could stretch SKU flexibility without compromising branding
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A 6-month inventory hold to match unpredictable timelines
Crucially, the shift to cans also empowered Healeys to reduce carbon footprint vs. glass, respond to retailer demands for canned formats and future-proof their compliance for EPR
"Healeys was staring down the barrel of a £700,000 EPR tax bill in October 2025, meaning a £1M investment in a new canning line would quickly pay for itself," - Joe Healey, Managing Director told The Grocer
The Results
Healeys now has a full canning strategy that protects them from glass volatility and EPR penalties. Their relationship with Cask helps de-risk a major production transition, launch with UK grocers, and scale new SKUs with speed and style. As they ramp production into fall, they’re tracking printed and brite formats against real demand, drawing from Cask’s agile fulfillment model.
With a new packaging manager joining the team, a loyal fan base, and a nimble supply partner by their side, Healeys is set to make cans core to their next chapter.
Is your packaging strategy ready for EPR tax?
The UK’s new EPR tax scheme, coming into effect in October 2025, will radically change how beverage makers think about packaging. While glass may carry a lower per-tonne fee, its weight per unit makes it dramatically more expensive. For brands packaging in millions of units per year, this isn't a minor line item—it’s a six-figure strategic decision. Use this simple EPR tax calculator for fees and cost savings by switching to aluminum.
Cask can help you model savings, manage allocations and make cans a growth lever for your business—not a headache.
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