Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
What is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)?
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a regulatory framework that makes producers responsible for the environmental impact of the products and packaging they place on the market.
This responsibility covers the full product lifecycle, from design through to the collection, recycling and end-of-life waste management.
EPR applies to manufacturers, importers, brand owners and retailers, and needs accurate reporting, financial contributions and participation in national collection and recycling systems. By shifting responsibility upstream, EPR plays a critical role in transitioning businesses to a more circular approach. This leads to reducing waste, conserving resources and encouraging more sustainable product and packaging design.
Why accurate EPR compliance matters
For large businesses selling across multiple markets and territories, EPR compliance shouldn’t just be a regulatory requirement; it should be a strategic priority. Accurate reporting, robust data management and informed packaging decisions help organisations reduce regulatory risk, avoid fines and operate more efficiently.
Aligning your organisation’s compliance with circular economy principles will also support sustainability commitments and strengthen credibility with regulators, customers and investors.
Reconomy helps organisations unlock the move from reactive, country-by-country compliance to a proactive, centralised and data-led EPR strategy, turning regulatory challenges into long-term value.
Key EPR drivers
Key EPR drivers currently in place include:
- Global expansion of EPR legislation: Over 400 EPR schemes are now active worldwide, covering packaging, WEEE, textiles and additional product streams. (OECD)
- Financial risk of non-compliance: Penalties for failing to meet reporting or recycling obligations can reach millions, particularly for large producers. (European Commission)
- Consumer and investor pressure: 85% of consumers expect brands to take responsibility for environmental impact. (IBM)
- Operational opportunity: Businesses adopting circular economy principles can reduce waste management costs by up to 30%. (Ellen MacArthur Foundation)
Types of EPR regulations
Any organisation involved in manufacturing, importing, selling or branding regulated products is likely to have EPR obligations. Requirements vary by country and scheme, but commonly impacted product categories include:
- Packaging – plastics, paper, glass, metals and composites
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) – such as devices and appliances
- Textiles – clothing, footwear and home textiles
- Batteries – Whether it’s portable, industrial or automotive batteries, regulations are growing for batteries in EPR.
- Automotive components – vehicle parts and end-of-life recovery
Managing these obligations across multiple jurisdictions can be complex. Reconomy’s Comply Loop provides an integrated global solution, combining reporting, regulatory intelligence and expert consultancy to help businesses stay ahead of evolving requirements.
Affected parties and required actions
Under EPR regulations, organisations that place products or packaging on the market are classed as producers and must take specific actions to remain compliant.
This typically includes:
- Manufacturers: Designing products and packaging that meets recyclability standards and reporting detailed material data.
- Importers: Reporting all packaging and obligated products in line with local reporting requirements.
- Retailers and brand owners: Reporting packaging and products placed on the market under their brand, including goods sourced from third-party manufacturers.
Compliance schemes and third-party support
The role of compliance schemes under EPR
Compliance schemes and Producer Responsibility Organsiations (PROs) play a pivotal role in helping organisations meet obligations. Under many EPR frameworks, producers may meet their requirements directly or appoint a third-party compliance scheme or PRO to act on their behalf.
Compliance schemes and PROs support businesses by managing data submissions, coordinating payments, and liaising with scheme administrators to ensure obligations are met in line with national regulations and DEFRA guidance. For large organisations operating across multiple territories, this third-party assistance is often crucial to ensure consistency, accuracy and compliance at scale.
How compliance schemes support producers
Through Reconomy’s specialist Comply Loop brands and Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) network, businesses can access structured support across the full EPR lifecycle. This includes registration on public producer registers, data collection and validation, timely submissions via national EPR digital services, and ongoing regulatory updates.
Compliance schemes also help producers interpret evolving guidance, respond to administrative changes and manage interactions with local authorities and scheme administrators. This whole-systems approach reduces operational risk and ensures producers remain compliant as EPR frameworks continue to evolve.
A whole-systems approach to EPR compliance
Rather than managing obligations in isolation, Reconomy supports a whole-systems approach that integrates data, payments, reporting and operational delivery. This is particularly important for organisations with non-household municipal premises, complex supply chains or cross-government reporting requirements.
By combining third-party compliance support with digital platforms and expert consultancy, Reconomy helps large producers manage EPR obligations efficiently across multiple markets.
Data collection and reporting under EPR
Accurate data collection and timely reporting are key factors to meeting EPR compliance. Producers are required to collect, validate and submit detailed information on the products and packaging they place on the market, such as material types, weights, classifications and end-of-life pathways.
Reporting frameworks differ by country and scheme, often requiring submissions through national digital services or Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs). In the UK, this includes compliance with Packaging Waste (Data Reporting) Regulations and Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) requirements.
Reconomy supports large organisations by centralising data collection across territories, ensuring consistency, auditability and alignment with national submission deadlines. Our digital platforms reduce administrative burden and provide full visibility across global producer obligations.
Book a consultationOrganisational responsibility and group structures
EPR responsibilities vary depending on organisational size, structure and role within the supply chain. Large enterprises are typically subject to full reporting and fee obligations, while smaller organisations may qualify for simplified requirements in certain jurisdictions.
For corporate groups, responsibilities could be shared between parent companies and subsidiaries, requiring careful coordination to ensure local compliance while maintaining central oversight. Franchise and licensing models also require clarity around whether obligations sit with brand owners or local operators.
Reconomy helps organisations define responsibility across complex group structures, enabling efficient, consistent compliance across multiple markets.
Get in touchLocal authority payments under EPR
How local authority payments work
Under EPR schemes, producers are required to fund the full cost of collecting, sorting and recycling packaging waste managed by local authorities. These payments are designed to shift the financial burden of waste management from taxpayers to producers.
Local authority payments are calculated using cost assessment methodologies defined by scheme administrators and national regulators. These assessments take into account factors such as material type, packaging volumes, collection systems and service costs.
Calculation and administration of payments
In the UK, payments are managed through the EPR digital service and overseen by the scheme administrator, PackUK, in line with DEFRA policy. Producers submit data through approved reporting systems, which are then used to calculate payment estimates and final remittance values.
Payments are typically distributed to local authorities on a scheduled basis, usually quarterly, and supported by remittance advice showing how amounts have been calculated. This ensures transparency and accountability for both producers and local authorities.
What producers need to manage
For large producers, managing local authority payments requires accurate data submission, a clear understanding of payment schedules and the ability to forecast financial coverage. Late or incorrect data can lead to inaccurate payment estimates, compliance risk or regulatory action.
Reconomy helps producers navigate this process by ensuring data quality, supporting cost assessment interpretation, and providing visibility over payment calculations and timelines. This enables organisations to plan effectively and meet their EPR obligations with confidence.
Packaging activities within scope of EPR
EPR applies to a wide range of packaging-related activities, including:
- Supplying packaged goods to end users
- Importing packaged products into a market
- Operating online marketplaces
- Owning branded packaging placed on the market
Understanding which activities trigger producer obligations is essential to avoid under-reporting and financial exposure. Reconomy works with businesses to map packaging flows across supply chains and ensure all in-scope materials are accurately reported.
Learn about EPR for PackagingHow EPR funding and payments work
Producer fees collected under EPR schemes fund local authority collection, sorting and recycling services. Payments are calculated based on factors such as material type, volume and service costs, and are distributed according to national payment schedules.
In the UK and across Europe, this includes mechanisms such as basic payments, modulated fees and cost recovery assessments designed to ensure the full net cost of waste management is borne by producers rather than taxpayers.
Reconomy helps organisations forecast financial exposure, understand fee structures and optimise costs through improved packaging design and material choices.
Book a consultationPackaging design and eco-modulation
EPR actively incentivises better packaging design. Fees are increasingly modulated based on recyclability, recycled content and environmental impact.
Through Recyclability Assessments, Reconomy supports businesses in aligning with frameworks such as UK packaging EPR and Plastic Packaging Tax by evaluating material composition, contamination risks and compatibility with existing recycling infrastructure.
To date, Reconomy’s data experts have analysed over 200,000 product lines to improve recyclability and reduce compliance risk.
Future developments and updates in EPR
EPR frameworks continue to evolve around the world as governments introduce new consultations, guidance and reporting requirements. Future developments include expanded scope, increased harmonisation across jurisdictions and further refinement of eco-modulation methodologies.
Businesses must remain informed about changing submission timelines, new data requirements and regulatory reforms at both national and EU levels. Reconomy actively monitors developments and provides timely updates to help organisations prepare and remain compliant.
Global compliance solutions for multi-territory businesses
Reconomy specialises in supporting organisations operating across multiple regions. Through our extensive Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) network, we deliver unified, cross-border EPR compliance solutions that reduce complexity and improve control.
By combining regulatory expertise, digital platforms and operational delivery, we help global businesses meet EPR obligations efficiently while supporting progress towards a more circular economy.
Book a consultationHelping your business meet Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
At Reconomy, we help large and complex organisations manage Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations across multiple territories. Through our pioneering compliance services, expert regulatory guidance and data-driven platforms, we simplify environmental compliance for businesses to help them meet key targets.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Extended Producer Responsibility
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive on the topic:
Recent UK EPR changes strengthen producer responsibility for packaging, requiring more detailed data reporting and shifting the full cost of managing packaging waste from local authorities to businesses.
EPR is an abbreivation most commonly used for the Extended Producer Responsibility policy, where businesses (manufacturers, importers, and sellers), become responsible for the entirerity of a products lifecycle.
The main purpose of UK EPR regulations is to make producers responsible for the full lifecycle of the products and packaging they place on the market, supporting higher recycling rates and a more circular economy.
This will vary depending on the relevant EPR scheme in place. Here is an outline:
Packaging:
It is usually necessary to provide detailed data regarding packaging materials, inclusive of their weights and types (household or non-household), as well as their classification (primary, secondary, etc.). Additionally, information on the distribution and disposal locations of the packaging may sometimes be required.
Batteries:
As part of a scheme, it will be necessary to include weights and chemistries In your data to ensure the relevant information is being captured.
WEEE:
You will be required to record weight, category and units.
Modulated fees depend on the scheme in place, and the amount and type of packaging. Some countries adjust modulated fees in their scheme based on recyclability and recycled content.
EPR regulations fund and improve collection, sorting, and recycling systems, while incentivising producers to design products and packaging that are easier to recycle and recover.
EPR systems vary by country in scope, timelines, and requirements. Packaging EPR is widespread in Europe, but new EPR systems for other products and goods are now being added across different markets.
EPR laws require manufacturers to take responsibility for products beyond sale, influencing how goods are designed, packaged, reported, and managed at the end of life.
EPR regulations fund and improve collection, sorting, and recycling systems, while incentivising producers to design products and packaging that are easier to recycle and recover.
EPR systems vary by country in scope, reporting requirements, timelines, and fees. While packaging EPR is well established in Europe, other product categories are being introduced across global markets.
EPR reduces waste and pollution, improves recycling infrastructure, and conserves resources. For producers, it encourages better design, reduces long-term risk, and supports more efficient, circular business models.
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