Packaging EPR.
Plainly put.
Who's in scope, what it costs and when it's due. For UK businesses with £1m+ turnover and more than 25 tonnes of packaging.
1 April 2027
- 01Report 2026 packaging dataRPD service
- 02Register for the yearYour regulator
- 03Pay the registration fee£1,303 or £696*
*£1,303 direct or £696 through a compliance scheme, under the regulations as amended from 1 Jan 2026. GOV.UK guidance still shows £1,216 / £631. Why the figures differ. Dates: GOV.UK, updated 19 Aug 2026.
Are you in?
Two numbers decide it. Use last calendar year's packaging tonnage and turnover from your last accounts available before 7 April 2026. Groups use group totals.
| Packaging, previous year | Turnover £1m or less | £1m to £2m | More than £2m |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 25 tonnes | No obligation | No obligation | No obligation |
| 25 to 50 tonnes | No obligation | Small producer | Small producer |
| More than 50 tonnes | No obligation | Small producer | Large producer |
- Less than 25 tonnesAny turnoverNo obligation
- 25 to 50 tonnesTurnover £1m or lessNo obligation£1m to £2mSmall producerMore than £2mSmall producer
- More than 50 tonnesTurnover £1m or lessNo obligation£1m to £2mSmall producerMore than £2mLarge producer
Source: Check if you must comply with EPR for packaging, GOV.UK, updated 19 Aug 2026. GOV.UK words the £1m line two ways ("£1 million or more" and "more than £1 million"). Right on £1m? Ask your regulator. More on who is in scope.
Small producers.
Lighter load.
Who must do what, and by when.
Register, report, pay. Once a year.
- Register
- Every year. Pay by 1 April.
- Report data
- Once a year. 2026 data by 1 April 2027.
- Fee
- £1,303 direct, £696 via a scheme (regulations as amended). GOV.UK still shows £1,216 / £631.
- Recycling notes
- None.
- Disposal fees
- None.
- Records
- Keep 7 years.
More duties. More often.
- Register
- Every year. Pay by 1 October.
- Report data
- Every six months. Jul to Dec 2026 data by 1 April 2027.
- Fee
- £2,842 direct (regulations as amended).
- Recycling notes
- PRNs/PERNs, plus a certificate of compliance.
- Disposal fees
- Paid to PackUK, set by recyclability rating.
- Records
- Keep 7 years.
Sources: GOV.UK small-producer guidance (19 Feb 2026), deadlines page (19 Aug 2026), SI 2024/1332 Sch. 1 as amended by SI 2025/1369. Compare in full.
The dates.
2026 to 2028, in order.
- 1 Jan 2026
Amended fee schedule in force (SI 2025/1369).
- 1 Apr 2026
Small producers' 2025 data and registration were due.
- 1 Sep 2026
Resubmission deadline for 2025 data.
- 1 Oct 2026
Large producers: Jan to Jun 2026 data and registration due.
- 1 Apr 2027
Small producers: 2026 data, registration and fee due. Large producers: Jul to Dec 2026 data due.
- 2027 to 2028
Red-rated fee multiplier for large producers rises from 1.2× to 1.6×. Then 2.0× in 2028 to 2029.
- 1 Sep 2027
First annual CPI-linked rise in registration charges.
Every question.
One page each.
- Are you in scope?The three tests: UK establishment, more than 25 tonnes of packaging, and £1 million+ turnover.
- Small or large producer?How turnover and packaging tonnage decide whether you are a small or large producer, and why it matters for fees.
- Deadlines for 2026 and 2027Key dates for small and large producers, including the 1 April 2027 small-producer deadline.
- Registration feesWhat a small producer pays to register, and where GOV.UK guidance and the amended regulations disagree.
- Compliance schemesWhen a compliance scheme makes sense for a small producer, what to check, and where to find the official register.
- Reporting your dataAccounts, the CSV files, the codes small producers use, and who is legally responsible.
- Recyclability and disposal feesDisposal fees and red/amber/green recyclability ratings apply to large producers. Why small producers should still keep an eye on them.
- Groups and subsidiariesWhy group totals, not each company's own figures, can decide whether each company is a small or large producer.
- The 1 April 2027 checklistEight steps, in order, for businesses that may be small producers.
- The 1 April 2027 reporting deadlineSmall producers report 2026 data and register by 1 April 2027. Large producers report July to December 2026 data the same day.
- Turnover under £1 million?Usually not. Below £1m turnover there's no obligation, but check group figures, which accounts to use and other packaging rules.
- Amazon, eBay and online sellersUK online sellers are treated like any other producer, and the boxes and mailers you ship in count. When the marketplace takes responsibility instead.
Built on the source.
Every guide links to the GOV.UK page or legislation it relies on, with the date we checked.
When official sources disagree, as with this year's fees, we say so. We don't quietly pick one.
We sell no compliance service. Paid listings, when they exist, are labelled "Sponsored" and never touch the guides. Policy.
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