EU Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Compliance

From 12 August 2026, businesses selling within the European Union must comply with updated Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements under the evolving Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) framework. Designed to support a circular economy, these regulations aim to reduce waste, improve recyclability, and encourage reusable packaging—building upon existing rules for batteries and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE).

While these regulations play a valuable role in building a more sustainable future, they also shift the financial and operational responsibility of waste management directly onto businesses. This involves strict recyclability criteria, eco-modulated fees, and mandatory producer registrations across all EU member states.

Specifically, EU EPR rules require a unique, country-specific registration number for every EU nation where products are delivered. For a company of our scale, this translates to hundreds—or in some cases thousands—of euros in registration and compliance fees per individual country.

As a relatively small business, absorbing these cumulative costs or passing them along through steep price increases is simply not viable. For the time being, we have made the decision to pause new orders for delivery to the European Union while we explore workable solutions or await adjustments to these regulations.