{"id":3124,"date":"2025-12-01T12:58:57","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T11:58:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/btop.pl\/?p=3124"},"modified":"2026-09-04T12:05:23","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T10:05:23","slug":"the-epr-and-the-new-packaging-regulations-will-your-e-commerce-be-able-to-sell-to-the-whole-of-the-eu-after-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/btop.pl\/en\/the-epr-and-the-new-packaging-regulations-will-your-e-commerce-be-able-to-sell-to-the-whole-of-the-eu-after-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"EPR and new packaging regulations: will your e-commerce be able to sell to the whole of the EU after 2026?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Until now, cross-border e-commerce has looked simple: you list on a marketplace, connect a courier, set prices and... sell abroad. From mid-2026, this scenario will start to change. A new EU regulation comes into force<\/span><b> PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, which tightens the rules on packaging and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). In short, if you don't meet the EPR obligations in a country, you don't sell there legally - including via the marketplace. Furthermore, the platforms themselves (Allegro, Amazon, Kaufland, eMAG, TEMU and others) will be obliged to keep an eye on whether sellers are registered in the EPR systems. Lack of EPR number \/ participation in the system = real risk of sales being blocked.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In this blog post we explain in human terms:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">what it is <\/span><b>EPR and PPWR<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">since the regulations will start to \u201ebite\u201d the sellers,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">How it can block cross-border sales,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">what data you need to have encompassed in your systems,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">How a marketplace agency can sort it all out for you.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>1. what the EPR and PPWR are about - in human terms<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is the principle that whoever places products or packaging on a country's market is responsible for their subsequent collection, recycling and management. The producer within the meaning of the EPR is often not the factory, but the online shop or marketplace retailer that first \u201edrops\u201d the goods on the market of a given country - even if it is physically sitting in Poland. In practice, EPR means, among other things:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">registration in the relevant registers\/recovery organisations,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">reporting on quantity and type of packaging (kg, material, type),<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">payment of contributions to finance the collection and recycling system.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">PPWR <\/span><b>(Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is the new EU regulation on packaging and packaging waste, which replaces the old 1994 directive. The text not only tightens the requirements for packaging (recyclability, recyclate content, reduction of unnecessary packaging), but also organises the EPR rules across the Union - including for online retailers. Key facts:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The regulation entered into force on 11 February 2025,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most of the rules will take effect from 12 August 2026 in all EU countries simultaneously,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">applies to any packaging entering the EU market - including that which you send in a parcel from Poland abroad.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>2. what happens from 2025\/2026 - a timeline in a nutshell<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">To grasp this, it is useful to look at it as a simple timeline:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">11.02.2025 - PPWR becomes EU law (start of transition period).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2025 - 1st half of 2026 - countries prepare implementation, companies \u201eclose\u201d EPR registrations, markets begin to tighten the screw.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">c. mid-2026 \/ 12.08.2026 - most of the key PPWR provisions come into effect; marketplaces need to verify much more thoroughly that sellers meet EPR obligations in the countries they ship to.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">From around mid-2026, selling on marketplaces is supposed to be possible only in those countries where you meet the EPR obligations - otherwise the platform simply should not allow your listings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3127\" src=\"https:\/\/btop.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/ChatGPT-Image-25-lis-2025-09_49_12.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"614\" srcset=\"https:\/\/btop.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/ChatGPT-Image-25-lis-2025-09_49_12.png 900w, https:\/\/btop.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/ChatGPT-Image-25-lis-2025-09_49_12-768x524.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><b><b>3. what this means for marketplace sellers (Allegro, Kaufland, Amazon, eMAG, TEMU...).<\/b><\/b><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Up to now, EPR has been a \u201enice-to-have\u201d compliance add-on for many e-commerce businesses. Now it is becoming a condition for marketplace access. New legislation and related regulations (including the Digital Services Act) make it mandatory for marketplaces to check that sellers are registered with EPR systems. In practice:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Amazon already requires EPR numbers in some countries,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">in some countries the marketplace can, and sometimes must, take over the EPR duties for the vendor - but this always costs money,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The PPWR will extend this obligation to the whole of the EU, so that other platforms will also have to play \u201eby the same rules\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>So if you want to send goods from Poland abroad (e.g. to France, Spain, Germany, Italy) via foreign marketplaces (e.g. Amazon, Kaufland, EMAG, Cdiscount, TEMU) then without an EPR you risk having your listings blocked, your account blocked and, in extreme cases, administrative penalties.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For sellers \u201ewithout a local company\u201d in a particular country, one more thing is important: the PPWR requires that a distance seller has a so-called Authorised Representative (EPR) appointed in each country to which it sells - unless local law allows a different model. His or her responsibilities include registering your business with local services, filing reports and communicating with authorities in case of inspections.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>4. how can the EPR block cross-border sales?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Imagine a simple situation: You have a shop in Poland, you send parcels across Europe via Allegro, Amazon or your own shop with a cross-border operator.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">you are not registered in the EPR systems in the target countries,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">you do not have an authorised representative assigned where required,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">you do not report weights and types of packaging,<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">it from a certain point:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">marketplace should not allow your listings in these countries,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the logistics operator may have restrictions on handling non-compliant shipments,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">local environmental authorities can initiate proceedings, impose fines, block sales.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><b>It's not just about \u201egreen on paper\u201d. It's about the fact that not having an EPR = risk of being cut off from cross-border sales, even though you are technically able to send a parcel anywhere.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3128\" src=\"https:\/\/btop.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/dsd.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"545\" srcset=\"https:\/\/btop.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/dsd.png 900w, https:\/\/btop.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/dsd-768x465.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>5. what data do you need to have encompassed in your systems?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Here we come to the part that connects most strongly with day-to-day work in marketplaces and Base \/ ERP-type systems. For an EPR to \u201ework\u201d, you need to have structured data such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">5.1 Weight of packages<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">weight of packaging (e.g. carton + pouch + labels),<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">weight of packaging (master carton, stretch film, fillers),<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">preferably broken down into material categories (paper, plastic, glass, etc.).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">5.2 Types of materials<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">whether the packaging is paper, plastic, glass, aluminium, cardboard, etc,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">whether there are \u201eproblem\u201d elements (e.g. composites that are difficult to recycle).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">5.3 Breakdown of sales by country<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">where your parcels realistically land (how much % to DE, FR, ES, IT, etc.),<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">what volume of packaging (kg) is allocated to each market.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">5.4 Mapping products to packaging<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">which SKU \/ EAN is packaged in which pack,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">whether packaging differs between markets (e.g. different carton on DE, different on FR).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">5.5 EPR\/registration numbers<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">national registration numbers,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">linking them to marketplace\/store accounts.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Without this, it is impossible:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">meaningful reporting,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">anticipate the cost of EPR contributions,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">and even more so - to plan margins and prices sensibly for individual countries.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>6 What is worth doing now? A short checklist before 2026<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">To avoid waking up in August 2026 with sales blocked, it is worth treating the EPR as a normal implementation project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Step 1 - Check where you are realistically selling to<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">make a report of the target countries from the marketplaces and the logistics system,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">distinguish between markets where you \u201esell a lot\u201d and those where you have single orders.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Step 2 - Determine which EPR obligations apply to you<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">packaging - mandatory,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">in addition: electronics (WEEE), batteries, and in some countries also e.g. textiles, furniture, toys, tyres, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">for each country, check whether you need to register, report, pay contributions, appoint an authorised representative.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Step 3 - Get your packaging data in order<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">assign a specific package to each product,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">determine and record the weight (broken down by material),<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">decide where and how you keep this data (ERP, Base, separate database).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Step 4 - Plan cooperation with partners<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">recovery organisations \/ EPR operators in each country,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">authorised representatives,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">logistics operator and integrator - so that the data \u201eclips\u201d between the systems.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Step 5 - Recalculate margins and prices<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">EPR premiums are simply another unit cost. If you have been \u201ecounting\u201d the packaging roughly so far, it is now worth it:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">count the real cost of the EPR per piece\/order,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">include it in the price calculation \/ marketplace strategy.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3129\" src=\"https:\/\/btop.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/zdj-x.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1718\" height=\"962\" srcset=\"https:\/\/btop.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/zdj-x.png 1718w, https:\/\/btop.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/zdj-x-768x430.png 768w, https:\/\/btop.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/zdj-x-1536x860.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1718px) 100vw, 1718px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>Bottom line - EPR is not \u201epaperwork\u201d, it is the ticket to the EU after 2026<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The new packaging regulations and EPRs can be boiled down to one sentence: <\/span><b>Want to sell to the whole of the EU after 2026? You must have embraced Extended Producer Responsibility and packaging data. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The good news is that there is still some time to embrace the subject - provided you treat it like a normal implementation project, rather than a \u201ewe'll sort it out one day\u201d. If you want to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">sort out the topic of EPR in the context of Allegro, Amazon, Kaufland, eMAG, TEMU and other marketplaces,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">check how the new regulations will affect your margins and prices,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">build a cross-border sales strategy that \u201esurvives\u201d 2026 and beyond,<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We can help you with this - from risk analysis, to organising data and feeds, to the ongoing maintenance of marketplaces in the new regulatory realities. Contact us via the contact form available on our website.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>Author of the blog: Kacper Pawlak<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Date of publication: 01.12.2025r.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Until now, cross-border e-commerce has been straightforward: you list your products on a marketplace, set up a courier service, set your prices and\u2026 sell abroad. From mid-2026, this scenario will begin to change. A new EU regulation, the PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation), is coming into force, tightening the rules on packaging and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). In short \u2013 if you do not meet your EPR obligations in a given country, you cannot sell there legally \u2013 including via marketplaces. What\u2019s more, the platforms themselves<span class=\"read_more_area\"><a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/btop.pl\/en\/the-epr-and-the-new-packaging-regulations-will-your-e-commerce-be-able-to-sell-to-the-whole-of-the-eu-after-2026\/\"> Read more <\/a><\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3142,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,76,42,44,66,62,45,64,63,47,83,65,82,72,77,46,69,73,71,70,88,87,81,78,80,79,67,84,74,89,75],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aktualnosci","category-aliexpress","category-allegro","category-amazon","category-black-red-white","category-castorama","category-cdiscount","category-decathlon","category-ebay","category-emag","category-empikplace","category-homeyou","category-home24","category-inpost","category-joom","category-kaufland","category-leroy-merlin","category-manomano","category-mediaexpert","category-mediamarkt","category-obi-de","category-otto","category-pigu","category-shein","category-skroutz","category-super-pharm","category-temu","category-tiktok-shop","category-trendyol","category-vente-unique","category-xxxlutz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/btop.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/btop.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/btop.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btop.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btop.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3124"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/btop.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3124\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5227,"href":"https:\/\/btop.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3124\/revisions\/5227"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btop.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/btop.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btop.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/btop.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}