Do I need to comply?

What is EPR?

Small producers

Large producers

Kite's route to EPR compliance

If your business places packaging on the UK market, you may have obligations under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). The packaging EPR regulations are designed to make producers more responsible for the costs of managing packaging waste, encouraging businesses to reduce waste and make more sustainable packaging choices.

Whether you need to register depends on factors such as your annual turnover, the amount of packaging your business handles and the packaging activities you carry out. This page explains how packaging EPR compliance works, helps you understand whether your business has producer responsibility for packaging, and outlines the next steps for both small producers and large producers. If you need support, Kite's compliance scheme can help you meet your EPR compliance obligations with expert guidance.

What Is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)?

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is part of the UK's packaging waste regulations, making producers responsible for the environmental impact of the packaging they place on the market. The aim is to improve recycling rates, encourage the use of more recyclable materials and reduce the amount of packaging waste sent for disposal.

Under packaging extended producer responsibility, businesses may need to collect and report packaging data, register with the relevant Environment Agency regulator or join a packaging compliance scheme, depending on their obligations. Businesses that supply packaged goods, empty packaging, unfilled packaging, or act as a brand owner, importer or online marketplace may all have responsibilities under the legislation if they meet the qualifying criteria.

The regulations also encourage businesses to review their packaging materials, consider reusable packaging where appropriate and make more sustainable packaging decisions throughout the product's entire lifecycle. Understanding your obligations early can help your business manage packaging compliance efficiently while avoiding unnecessary administration.

Do I Need to Comply with EPR Compliance?

To determine whether your business must comply with packaging EPR, you should assess your activities during the previous calendar year. Most UK businesses should consider the following questions before deciding whether they have reporting or registration obligations.

You should ask:

Is my business a UK registered company?
Is my annual turnover above £1 million?
Did I handle more than 25 tonnes of obligated packaging during the previous calendar year?

If the answer is yes to all three questions, your business is likely to have obligations under producer responsibility for packaging. The level of packaging EPR compliance required depends on both your annual turnover and the amount of packaging your business supplied or imported.

You can comply in two ways depending on your turnover and how much packaging you handled during the year preceding the obligation year.

Large producers have full reporting obligations every six months and may also need to pay EPR fees and meet additional recycling obligations.
Small producers have annual reporting obligations only, provided they meet the qualifying thresholds.

If your business has an annual turnover of less than £1 million or handles less than 25 tonnes of obligated packaging, you are not currently required to register. However, keeping accurate packaging data and monitoring your packaging activities can make future EPR compliance much easier if your business grows.

Small Producers

If your business qualifies as one of the small producers under the packaging EPR regulations, you will have annual reporting obligations but are not currently required to pay EPR fees for household packaging waste. You must still collect and report packaging data if you meet the relevant thresholds, making accurate data collection an important part of packaging compliance.

Small producers should keep detailed records of the packaging materials they place on the UK market throughout the previous calendar year. This includes information about household packaging, non household packaging, reusable packaging and any empty packaging or unfilled packaging supplied as part of your packaging activities. Accurate packaging data helps demonstrate compliance with the UK's packaging waste regulations and makes future reporting much easier.

Although small producers have fewer obligations than large producers, it is still important to understand the packaging legislation that applies to your business. Working with a packaging compliance scheme can simplify data submission, help you report packaging data correctly and provide expert guidance if your obligations change as your business grows.

Next steps as a Small Producer...

Large Producers

Large producers have additional responsibilities under packaging extended producer responsibility and must meet more comprehensive reporting requirements. As well as collecting detailed packaging data, large producers must report packaging data every six months and may be responsible for paying EPR fees that contribute towards the net costs of managing household packaging waste.

Depending on your packaging activities, you may also need to complete the Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) for relevant household packaging. The recyclability assessment methodology assesses how easily packaging can be collected, sorted and reprocessed, helping determine future compliance costs while encouraging more sustainable packaging choices.

Large producers should maintain accurate records covering all relevant packaging types, including packaging supplied as a brand owner, importer or online marketplace. This information supports packaging data submission, helps businesses meet their recycling obligations and ensures they comply with EPR regulations. Working with a compliance scheme can also reduce administration and help businesses assess their obligations efficiently.

Next steps as a Large Producer...

Kite's Route to EPR Compliance

Whether you're a small producer or one of the large producers, Kite's compliance scheme can help you meet your packaging EPR obligations. Our team provides expert guidance on packaging data collection, reporting and data submission, helping businesses understand their responsibilities under producer responsibility for packaging.

From assessing your packaging activities to supporting packaging compliance and ongoing reporting, we can help simplify the process and ensure your business meets the relevant EPR regulations. If you're unsure where to start, we're here to help.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you're still unsure whether your business needs to comply with packaging EPR, the answers below cover some of the most common questions about producer responsibility for packaging, reporting obligations and packaging compliance.

Who needs to comply with packaging EPR?

Businesses may need to comply with packaging EPR if they meet the relevant annual turnover and packaging handling thresholds while carrying out qualifying packaging activities. This can include businesses that supply packaged goods, import packaging, act as a brand owner or operate an online marketplace.

What packaging data do I need to collect?

Obligated businesses must collect and report packaging data relating to the packaging they place on the UK market. This can include information about packaging materials, household packaging, non household packaging, packaging types and the weight of packaging supplied.

What is the Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM)?

The Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) assesses how recyclable certain household packaging is. Large producers may need to complete RAM assessments for relevant packaging as part of their packaging EPR obligations.

Can a packaging compliance scheme help with EPR compliance?

Yes. A packaging compliance scheme can support businesses with packaging data collection, reporting, data submission and ongoing packaging compliance. This can reduce administration while helping businesses meet their EPR regulations.

What happens if I do not comply with EPR regulations?

If an obligated business does not meet its legal obligations, the relevant environmental regulator, such as the Environment Agency, may take enforcement action. Keeping accurate packaging data and submitting it on time can help your business remain compliant.