What is EPR?
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging is an environmental policy that makes manufacturers and importers responsible for the entire life cycle of the packaging that they produce.
In short, companies that place packaging on the UK market will have to pay a government levy that will help fund and develop better recycling systems.
The goal of EPR is to encourage companies to design more sustainable, durable and recyclable goods, to incentivise a reduction in waste and promote a more circular economy.
This website:
- Provides an introduction to EPR and who is responsible for it
- Outlines where companies may be exempt from paying EPR fees
- Allows PB Group customers to declare an exemption to paying EPR fees
Who needs to comply
If you order through PB Group and are classed as a large organisation
(you handle a minimum 50 tonnes of packaging materials annually and have an annual turnover or £2 million) and are one of the following:
Brand Owner
Supply packaged goods labelled with your own brand within the UK
Importer
Import products from outside the UK that are in packaging
Pack Filler
Placing goods into unbranded packaging
Distributor
Supply empty packaging to other small businesses
Service Provider
If you hire or loan out reusable packaging e.g. wooden pallets
Online Market Place
Operates a website/app that allows non-UK businesses to sell their goods within the UK.
Online Market Place
Operates a website/app that allows non-UK businesses to sell their goods within the UK.
Large organisations are obligated to pay fees towards packaging recycling (PRNs), report packaging data twice a year and pay modulated fees if packaging is supplied to households.
Making a company‑wide EPR declaration
A company‑wide EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) declaration is a formal statement from your business confirming that you meet the legal exemption criteria for EPR packaging regulations in the UK. By submitting one declaration that covers your entire company (including all UK subsidiaries, trading names, and divisions), you avoid the need for multiple submissions across different business entities within your group.
