Final EPR fees confirmed: £2bn scheme launches
PackUK has shared the final fees suppliers and retailers will have to pay for their different packaging materials and packaging waste as part of the extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme.
The scheme is designed to incentivise sustainable packaging choices, and local authorities are expected to benefit from more consistent funding for waste collection and recycling. These final fees replace the provisional figures from December 2024, allowing producers to be significantly more confident about expected costs and invoice amounts ahead of October.
What’s changed from the 2024 Estimate to the 2025 Finalised Figures?
There is a clear downward trend in most categories, particularly for those working with glass (a 20% decrease) and aluminium (a 39% decrease), which have seen substantial reductions in cost.
However, others, such as fibre composites (+1%), were subject to a small increase.
Changes in base fees from 2024 estimate to 2025 finalised figures
Fee Modulation Policy and RAM
Whilst the first year of EPR fees will be charged at the base fee, from 2026 onwards, they will be modulated according to recyclability of packaging. This will be assessed using a Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) with difficult-to-recycle materials and packaging formats attracting higher fees from 2026, based on household packaging data from 2025.
The RAM allocates packaging from the least recyclable (red) to the most recyclable formats (green). PackUK’s modulation policy statement establishes a three-year framework with escalating modulation factors for any packaging in “red”. In comparison, “green” packaging will be rewarded with gradually decreasing fees.
Key Dates
Oct 2023: Data collection obligations began
Jan 2025: Legal enforcement of EPR began
Apr 2025: First reporting deadline for small producers
Oct 2025: First invoices issued and payments due
Jul 2026: Modulated fees based on recyclability to begin
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