EPR · packaging, WEEE & batteries
EPR for ecommerce sellers: packaging, WEEE, and batteries
Extended Producer Responsibility, or EPR, makes you pay for collecting and recycling the packaging, electronics, and batteries you place on the EU market. If you ship to EU customers you have to register and report in every country you sell into, and from 12 August 2026 most non-EU sellers also need a packaging representative in each one.
What EPR actually is
EPR moves the cost of dealing with waste from local taxpayers to the companies that put products on the market. You register with a national scheme, declare how much packaging or how many electronics and batteries you sell, and pay a fee that funds collection and recycling. The principle is simple. The complication is that it runs country by country, not once for the whole EU.
The three streams that catch most Shopify sellers
- Packaging. The near-universal one. Almost every order ships in a box, a mailer, or with filler, so almost every seller owes packaging EPR somewhere.
- Electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Anything with a plug, a battery, or a cable, from headphones to LED lights.
- Batteries. Sold on their own or built into a product. The EU Batteries Regulation tightened these rules in 2023.
How EPR works, step by step
- Register in the national producer registry before your first sale.
- Declare the weight and material of what you place on the market.
- Pay a fee, usually through a national scheme or a compliance organisation.
- Report your volumes each year, and keep the evidence in case of an audit.
It runs per country, and that is the trap
There is no single EU registration. Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and the rest each run their own registry, their own scheme, and their own deadlines and fees. Germany is usually where sellers start, because it is the largest market and the most actively enforced. See our guide to EPR in Germany.
| Country | Packaging registry | What stands out |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | LUCID (ZSVR) | Register before you sell, plus a dual-system license; heavily enforced. |
| France | ADEME, via Citeo | You need a unique identifier per stream before selling. |
| Netherlands | Afvalfonds Verpakkingen | Reporting with a weight threshold below which fees may not apply. |
Marketplaces check, and so do authorities
Germany's LUCID number is required by Amazon and eBay before you can list. Selling without registering is prohibited and can be fined, even if you only sell through your own Shopify store.
12 August 2026
Under the EU Packaging Regulation (PPWR), non-EU sellers will need a packaging authorised representative in each member state where they sell.
How to stay on top of it
The hard part is not any single registration. It is keeping a live picture of which countries you owe, for which streams, and by when, as you add products and open new markets. That is what Assuro does: connect your Shopify store and it totals your packaging by material, flags the countries you sell into but have not registered for, and tracks the deadlines. It does not register or file for you.
- List every EU country you ship to
- Start with packaging, the stream almost everyone owes
- Register before your first sale in each country, not after
- Check whether your products also trigger WEEE or batteries
- Diarise the 12 August 2026 packaging-representative deadline
Frequently asked questions
Do I owe EPR if I only sell through my own Shopify store?
Yes. EPR applies to whoever first places packaging or products on a national market, including direct-to-consumer sellers on their own website. Selling only through your own store does not exempt you.
Is EPR the same as GPSR?
No. EPR is about paying for the recycling of packaging, electronics, and batteries. GPSR is about product safety and the EU Responsible Person. You can owe both at the same time.
How much does packaging EPR cost a small seller?
It depends on the weight and materials you place on the market and the country. For a small seller it is often a few hundred euros a year per country, plus the time to register and report.
Which country should I register in first?
Usually Germany. It is the largest EU market, the most strictly enforced, and marketplaces require your LUCID number, so it is the one most likely to bite first.
See where your store actually stands
Connect your Shopify store and Assuro flags which products are missing GPSR and EPR data, country by country, and tracks every deadline. Free to scan, no credit card.
Check your store for free