Valpak warns new EPR legislation in France is catching UK businesses unawares

Reconomy Group company Valpak reports that UK businesses are being caught unawares by the latest French EPR legislation. France operates the only extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes for textiles and furniture in the world. Last year, following the introduction of new EPR for DIY and gardening equipment, sports equipment and toys, a team from Valpak organised a scoping trip to Paris.

Reporting back, Kate Loosmore, International Compliance Manager at Valpak – the UK’s largest compliance scheme – said that those UK businesses unaware of the new regulations are facing serious repercussions.

She said: “Unlike UK compliance, the French schemes have no size threshold, so businesses are obligated as soon as they place one item onto the market. And with online marketplaces such as Amazon and Ebay now held responsible for the compliance of sellers on their sites, companies face more scrutiny than ever. Some businesses have been threatened with suspension from trading on online sites until they can show proof of compliance.”

Many companies are caught out when the products included in a scheme represent only a small part of their business. For example, a fashion retailer may sell a small number of plant pots, or playing cards – items which fall under the new EPR for gardening equipment and toys. 

Loosmore says that costs and data reporting requirements need to be taken into account when planning: “At Valpak, we are seeing invoices for our international customers rise substantially. Reporting can also be complex and time-consuming – to give an idea of scale, Valpak calculations show that the time required for reporting under the UK’s Plastic Packaging Tax, EPR and the Deposit Return Scheme will rise by around 368 per cent compared with current reporting.

Valpak’s horizon scanning service highlights the growing trend for environmental legislation around the world, while its sister company RLG operates close to 40 compliance schemes globally. Valpak research shows that EPR is catching on around the world. Sweden, the Netherlands and Spain all have plans to implement textiles EPR; Finland is due to obligate all UK-based companies, and countries as far apart as Canada and Thailand are introducing new legislation. 

Loosmore added: “Each country has different requirements – in some European countries, for example, a board game box is classed as packaging; in others it is not. France plans to require retailers to organise take-back for products like toys, garden equipment and electronics. For online sellers especially, this will be challenging. Preparation is crucial.”

https://valpak.co.uk

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Editors notes

·      Valpak’s mission is to create a sustainable, waste-free world. We are driven, not by today. We are driven by tomorrow.

·      We help our clients to reduce waste and recycle more, continually innovating and using leading data science and expertise to inspire businesses, help push ourselves – and our industry – forward. We don’t just show our customers how to navigate waste regulations; we help them become more sustainable, through our ever-increasing capabilities and pioneering innovations.

·      Valpak is the largest environmental compliance scheme in the UK. We work with major names, such as J Sainsbury’s, ASOS, and Miele, and manages compliance for more than 2,000 businesses. In 2022, it celebrated its 25th anniversary.

·      Valpak is a Reconomy Group company. Reconomy is the UK’s largest provider of outsourced resource management and recycling services. It works with customers of all sizes across industry sectors, using a technology-enabled, value-added approach to help businesses reach its sustainability goals. Following the acquisitions of Noventiz and RLG in Germany in 2020, adding further specialism in compliance and international product returns, the Reconomy Group’s aim is to become the leading global provider of services to drive the circular economy.

·      Valpak services include:

o   Compliance under Waste Packaging, WEEE, and Battery Directives.

o   Data insights.

o   International compliance.

o   Recycling services (total waste management options and solutions for niche materials).

o   Consultancy.

o   Accreditation under environmental schemes, such as Zero Waste to Landfill. 

Valpak invests in pioneering systems and expertise which enable its customers to analyse, assess and improve product design. The Product Data Hub, Insight Platform and dedicated teams work together to drive change.