Extended Producer Responsibility is a UK policy designed to make businesses responsible for the packaging they place onto the market.
Historically, the cost of collecting and recycling household packaging waste has largely fallen on local councils. EPR changes this by shifting more responsibility to the companies that produce or sell packaged goods. The goals of the scheme are to:
• Improve recycling rates across the UK
• Reduce packaging waste sent to landfill or incineration
• Encourage businesses to use less packaging and more recyclable materials
• Ensure the cost of managing packaging waste is shared more fairly
The scheme is overseen by the Environment Agency, which manages registration and reporting for businesses that meet the relevant thresholds.
Which Businesses Need to Register?
Not every company needs to register for packaging EPR, but many businesses selling goods to consumers do fall within the scope of the rules. A business generally needs to comply if it meets both of the following thresholds:
• Annual turnover greater than £1 million, and
• Handles more than 25 tonnes of packaging per year
“Handling packaging” includes activities such as:
• Importing packaged goods into the UK
• Filling packaging with products
• Supplying packaged goods to customers
• Selling products online or through marketplaces/p>
Businesses above these thresholds must register and report the amount and type of packaging they place on the UK market. For example, packaging data covering July–December 2025 must be submitted by 1 April 2026 under the current reporting timetable. Companies with turnover above £2 million and more than 50 tonnes of packaging may have additional obligations under the scheme.
EPR Fees Are Already Being Applied
The EPR system is not just a future policy — it is already being implemented. Businesses that fall within the scope of the regulations have already received packaging compliance fees covering the 2024–2025 calendar year.
These fees contribute towards the cost of collecting, sorting, and recycling packaging waste across the UK.
Why This Matters for Consumers
For consumers, the EPR scheme helps ensure that the packaging used to deliver everyday products is properly accounted for and contributes to the recycling system. Responsible businesses contribute towards the costs of:
• Recycling infrastructure
• Household waste collection
• Processing and managing packaging waste
Ekofuel, as a responsible business, accounts for these EPR fees as part of the cost of supplying packaged products to the UK market and supporting the UK recycling system.
Our Approach
At Ekofuel, we support the goals of the EPR scheme and ensure we meet the relevant requirements for packaging placed on the UK market. This includes:
• Monitoring and reporting the packaging associated with our products
• Registering with the appropriate authorities where required
• Contributing to the systems that help recycle packaging waste
We believe that businesses supplying packaged products should play their part in supporting responsible waste management.
Why Awareness Matters
One challenge with packaging regulations is that they apply to a wide range of businesses, including online retailers, importers, and companies selling through online marketplaces. Some businesses may not realise that these rules can apply to them if they sell packaged goods directly to UK consumers.
Because of this, many companies are currently reviewing their packaging obligations to ensure they meet the EPR registration thresholds and reporting deadlines.
The regulations are overseen by the Environment Agency, which has the authority to investigate non-compliance and take enforcement action where businesses fail to register or report packaging data when required.
For businesses operating in the UK market, it is therefore important to regularly review whether they meet the £1 million turnover and 25-tonne packaging threshold, and to ensure that any required reporting is completed on time.
Moving Toward More Responsible Packaging
Extended Producer Responsibility is an important step toward improving recycling and reducing packaging waste across the UK.
By ensuring packaging is properly accounted for and responsibly managed, the system aims to create a more sustainable approach to the products we all use every day.
At Ekofuel, we are committed to supporting these goals and continuing to improve how packaging is managed across our products.
