Start with the legal entity and packaging activity
Assess each legal entity that supplies or imports packaging in the UK. Record own-brand sales, imports, empty packaging, online marketplace activity and packaging added during fulfilment. Group structures need a documented reporting route.
Check the producer tier
Turnover and packaging tonnage both affect the tier. Use the current GOV.UK eligibility guide and public register rather than relying on an old internal threshold sheet.
| Position | Typical threshold test | Main work |
|---|---|---|
| Below reporting threshold | Does not meet both entry conditions | Keep the annual scope calculation |
| Small producer | More than £1 million turnover and more than 25 tonnes; within the small-producer limits | Register, pay the registration fee and report annually |
| Large producer | At least £2 million turnover and more than 50 tonnes | Report twice yearly and meet applicable fee and recycling duties |
Collect data at component level
Link each SKU to its bottle, lid, label, carton and shipment packaging. Store material, mass, activity, household classification and nation data where required. Add an evidence link and effective date to each value.
Product data
SKU, packaging components, material, weight, supplier and effective date.
Transaction data
Units supplied or imported, returns, destination, period and legal entity.
Apply four reporting controls
- Validate missing weights, unknown codes and impossible category combinations.
- Reconcile packaging mass against sales, purchasing and import totals.
- Require approval for estimates and classification changes.
- Lock the submitted dataset and retain its source extracts.
Give each issue an owner
| Issue | Owner | Evidence of completion |
|---|---|---|
| Missing supplier specification | Procurement | Approved specification or measured sample |
| Activity or household classification | Compliance | Decision note with source guidance |
| Unmatched SKU or duplicate order | Data team | Corrected mapping and rerun log |
| Unexpected fee movement | Finance | Variance review by material and product |
Use automation where it removes repeat work
Remedy EPR imports product and transaction data, applies controlled mappings and prepares reporting outputs. Validation flags missing component weights, duplicate joins and inconsistent classifications before review. Version history keeps the source, correction and approval connected to the reported result.
Automation still needs an accountable reviewer. Your team approves scope, estimates, RAM decisions and the final submission.
Run compliance throughout the year
| Frequency | Control |
|---|---|
| On product setup | Collect packaging specifications and assign regulatory categories |
| Monthly | Resolve missing data and reconcile transaction joins |
| Before period close | Generate a draft, review changes and approve estimates |
| After submission | Archive the file, receipt, reconciliation and sign-off |
Worked ecommerce example
A retailer imports 12,000 own-brand kitchen products and dispatches them in two carton sizes. The product record holds each retail-pack component. The fulfilment rule adds the selected shipping carton, tape and average void fill. The calculation uses dispatched units, excludes cancelled orders and records exported orders separately.
| Record | Quantity driver | Control |
|---|---|---|
| Retail pack | Units of each SKU supplied | Match the effective pack version |
| Shipping carton | Orders by carton rule | Compare use with warehouse purchases |
| Tape and void fill | Orders or measured consumption | Review sample and variance |
| Returns | Replacement shipments | Count newly supplied packaging |
Create a submission checklist
Confirm that the legal entity, period and producer tier match the file. Review estimates, new products and classification changes. Reconcile totals by material, then save the final report with reviewer comments and service confirmation.
If an error appears after submission, preserve the original output. Correct the source record, regenerate the affected total and document whether a resubmission is required.
Prepare accurate EPR reports without rebuilding spreadsheets
Remedy EPR automates data imports and calculations, detects compliance errors and keeps evidence ready for review.
Confirm scope and duties using the current GOV.UK EPR guidance collection. Reporting requirements and file specifications can change.