UH Energy
  1. UH Home
  2. Energy
  3. Energy Insights
  4. Extended Producer Responsibility Policies for Plastic Packaging
  5. Select EU Countries, the UK, and Switzerland's EPR Data

Research

Select EU Countries, the UK, and Switzerland's EPR Data

 

* Estimated annual cost assumes small to medium business placing 2-5 tons of mixed packaging materials on the market. Actual costs vary based on packaging volume, material composition, and chosen compliance scheme.
Criteria

European Union (EU) 

Previous Framework,
94/62/EC

European Union (EU)

Current Framework,
2025/40

 France Germany Netherlands Portugal Spain Italy United Kingdom (UK) Switzerland

Year Law Passed

 201867 202470 1975 1991 1993 1997 1997 1997 1997103 1983113

Implementation Date for Most Recently Revised EPR Legislation
  • Member states had to transpose by July 5, 2020.68
  • EPR required for all by December 2024.69
  • Entered into force Feb. 11, 2025
  • Generally, applies from Aug. 12, 202671
 199272

2019

  • VerpackG replaced previous ordinance78
 201482

2024

  • January 1, 2026: Formal activation of the 10% Bonus Malus Eco-Modulation Framework87

2022

  • From January 2025, mandatory EPR expanded to cover commercial and industrial packaging92
 202198 2025104 2025114
Fee Structure Determined by individual countries
  • Base fee: flat annual administrative fee (€150 to €500)
  • Eco-modulation fee: Based on bonus malus
  • Additionally, platforms like Amazon charge a fixed €25 annual service fee to manage compliance for third-party sellers73, 74, 75
  • PRO registration is free. Average packaging fee is €0.15 — €0.60 per kg.79
  • Eco-modulation fee: Based on bonus malus 80
  • Verpact rates are per kg by material: glass €0.100/kg, paper/cardboard €0.017/kg, rigid plastic €1.220/kg, flexible/not-specified plastic €1.320/kg, aluminum €0.340/kg, other metals €0.360/kg, wood €0.015/kg, beverage cartons €0.920/kg.83
  • Plastic fee differentiation rewards can discount up to €0.60/kg.84
  • Novo Verde lists €150/year for Small Contracting Parties with quantity <1 ton/year.
  • Base fee: flat annual administrative fee (€50 to €120)*88
  • Eco-modulation fee: Based on bonus malus89
  • Ecoembes 2026 prices are per kg by packaging/material. Domestic examples: steel €0.197/kg, aluminum €0.040/kg, PET beverage bottles ≤3L SUP €0.278/kg, PET other bottles €0.267/kg, HDPE rigid body €0.282/kg, flexible plastics €1.269/kg, paper/cardboard €0.117/kg93
  • Eco-modulation fee: Based on bonus malus94
  • Potential for overlapping cost with the Spanish Plastic Tax. If packaging contains non-recycled plastic components, tax of €0.45 per kilogram must be paid in addition to other EPR fees.95
  • Base fee: flat annual administrative fee (€100 to €200)*99
  • 2026 packaging material pricing: steel €5/t, aluminum €12/t, paper bands €45–€285/t, wood €10/t, plastic bands €40–€790/t, biodegradable/compostable plastic €246/t, and glass €40/t.100
  • Annual registration fee: £1,303 for small producers and £2,842 for large producers; if using a compliance scheme, the regulator fee is £696 for small producers and £1,803 for large producers.105
  • 2025 base fees are £/tonne: aluminum £266/t, fibre-based composite £461/t, glass £192/t, paper/card £196/t, plastic £423/t, steel £259/t, wood £280/t, other £259/t.106
  • Eco-Modulation structure: Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) system. Packaging is rated red, amber or green, with red paying more, green receiving reduced fees, and amber remaining at base fee.107
  • Glass containers have a state- mandated advance disposal fee of CHF 0.02 to CHF 0.06 per bottle depending on its volume capacity.115
  • PET Beverage Bottles: Managed voluntarily by the industry organization PET-Recycling Schweiz (PRS).116
Total Fees Collected
  • €1.3B of annual contributions in 2024 to fund waste management activities76
  • €434M annual revenue expected in 202481
  • €721M pounds (2024)85
  • €141.33M from SPV 2025 financial contributions90
  • €898.1M Ecoembes 2024 contributions paid by member companies96
  • €1.47B total revenue from 2024 report101
  • 1.56 billion pounds forecast fee recovery108
  • Year 1 shortfall in fee collection109
 Not available
Use of Fees
  • Collection, sorting, recycling, and reuse solutions77
  • Financing federal reporting validation infrastructures overseen by ZSVR.
  • Producer registration, reviewing producer/system volume reports, reviewing volume-flow records and recycling rates, reviewing systems’ financial capacity, and setting recyclability standards.82
  • Value chain costs for glass, paper/cardboard, plastic, beverage cartons, aluminum, ferrous metal, deposit refund system costs, implementation costs, monitoring, litter prevention, campaigns, communication, IT, and collection point compensation86
  • Awareness/communication/education, audits, costs linked to sale of waste.91
  • Operating expenses, awareness spending, collection costs, selection/treatment costs for materials from yellow containers and structure costs.97
  • Conferment costs, recycling-start costs, energy-recovery costs, structure/operating costs, R&D, communication, and territorial projects.102
  • Funding local authority waste management.110
  • Underwriting scheme administration and delivery111
  • Penalty fees fund eco-friendly subsidies.112
 Not available