Table of Contents
- Why Cleaning Product Companies Must Comply
- Obligation Thresholds
- Cleaning Product Packaging Types
- EPR Fee Impact
- Data Collection
- Cost Reduction Strategies
- The Refill Revolution and EPR
- Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- Cleaning product companies with £1M+ turnover and 25+ tonnes of packaging are obligated under packaging EPR.
- HDPE bottles and trigger sprays are the dominant packaging format, and spray triggers with mixed plastic/metal components attract higher fees.
- Refill formats (pouches, concentrates, tablets) can significantly reduce per-unit packaging weight and EPR costs.
- The Plastic Packaging Tax also applies to cleaning product packaging with less than 30% recycled content — this is a separate cost on top of EPR fees.
- Labels, caps, and trigger mechanisms must all be individually classified and weighed for EPR reporting.
Why Cleaning Product Companies Must Comply
The UK cleaning products sector — covering household cleaners, laundry detergent, dishwashing products, air fresheners, and industrial cleaning chemicals — is heavily reliant on plastic packaging. HDPE bottles, trigger sprays, pouches, and refill packs are the industry staples.
Under packaging EPR, every piece of packaging placed on the UK market must be accounted for. For cleaning product manufacturers and importers, this means tracking not just the main bottle but every cap, trigger, label, and shrink sleeve.
For EPR basics, see what packaging EPR is.
Obligation Thresholds
Standard thresholds:
- Annual turnover of £1 million or more
- Handle 25 or more tonnes of packaging per year
Cleaning product companies easily exceed these thresholds. A company producing 5 million 500ml spray bottles annually generates approximately 150 tonnes of HDPE packaging from bottles alone.
Check who needs to register for packaging EPR for complete threshold guidance.
Cleaning Product Packaging Types
Primary Packaging
- HDPE bottles — the most common format (spray cleaners, detergents)
- PET bottles — clear bottles for some products
- Trigger spray mechanisms — multi-component (PP body, metal spring, PE dip tube)
- Pump dispensers — similar multi-material construction
- Flexible pouches — refill packs (often multi-layer)
- Cardboard boxes — for tablets, pods, powder detergents
- Paper wraps — eco-brand solid cleaning bars
- Aluminium cans — aerosol air fresheners, spray starch
- Shrink sleeves — plastic film labels
Secondary Packaging
- Corrugated cardboard — retail-ready cases
- Shrink wrap — bundling multi-packs
- Cardboard sleeves — wrapping multi-packs
Transit Packaging
- Corrugated cases — shipping boxes
- Stretch wrap — pallet wrap
- Pallet sheets — interlayer sheets
- Strapping — plastic or paper banding
Component-Level Tracking
Under EPR, you must report each packaging component separately. A single spray bottle might include:
| Component | Material | Typical Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bottle body | HDPE | 30g |
| Trigger spray | PP/metal | 15g |
| Dip tube | PE | 2g |
| Shrink sleeve label | PVC/PET | 3g |
| Cap (if applicable) | PP | 5g |
| Total | 55g |
At 10 million units, that is 550 tonnes of primary packaging.
EPR Fee Impact
| Material | Fee per tonne (approx.) | Cleaning Product Use |
|---|---|---|
| HDPE | £360 | Bottles |
| PP | £360 | Caps, triggers |
| PET | £360 | Clear bottles |
| PVC (sleeves) | £440+ | Shrink sleeve labels |
| Aluminium | £230 | Aerosol cans |
| Paper/card | £215 | Boxes, labels |
| Multi-material | £461 | Laminated pouches |
| Corrugated card | £215 | Transit packaging |
A medium-sized cleaning product brand handling 500 tonnes of packaging could face annual EPR fees exceeding £150,000, with plastic packaging being the dominant cost driver.
For the full fee schedule, see the EPR fees by material type guide.
Data Collection
Leverage Existing Specifications
Cleaning product manufacturers typically have detailed packaging specifications for every SKU because of product safety labelling requirements. Use these as the foundation for your EPR data:
- Extract packaging specs from your product database/ERP system
- Verify weights by physically weighing samples (specs may be nominal weights)
- Include every component — bottles, caps, triggers, labels, seals, and closures
- Map to material types using your supplier’s material declarations
- Multiply by production/sales volumes for annual tonnage
- Allocate nation data using distribution records
Common Oversights
- Trigger spray mechanisms — often forgotten or lumped with the bottle
- Label materials — shrink sleeves, pressure-sensitive labels, printed cartons
- Tamper-evident seals — the plastic ring under caps
- Promotional packaging — seasonal gift sets, limited editions
- Transit packaging additions by third-party logistics providers
For detailed guidance, see how to report packaging data to DEFRA.
Cost Reduction Strategies
1. Lightweighting Bottles
HDPE bottle technology has advanced significantly. Modern bottles can be 15-20% lighter than older designs while maintaining performance. A 5g reduction per bottle across 10 million units saves 50 tonnes of plastic — and approximately £18,000 in EPR fees.
2. Eliminate PVC Shrink Sleeves
PVC shrink sleeve labels attract the highest plastic fee rates and are difficult to recycle. Alternatives include:
- Direct printing on the bottle (no label waste)
- Paper labels — pressure-sensitive paper labels
- PET or PETG shrink sleeves — recyclable alternatives
- PP labels — matching the bottle material for recyclability
3. Introduce Refill Formats
Refill packs use significantly less packaging per unit of product:
| Format | Packaging Weight | Savings vs Spray Bottle |
|---|---|---|
| Standard 500ml spray bottle | 55g | — |
| 500ml refill pouch | 12g | 78% less |
| Concentrated refill sachet (makes 500ml) | 5g | 91% less |
| Dissolvable tablet + reusable bottle | 3g | 95% less |
The EPR savings from refill formats are substantial and growing as more consumers embrace them.
4. Switch to Recycled Content
Using 30%+ recycled plastic content exempts you from the Plastic Packaging Tax (£210.82/tonne) and may qualify for lower modulated EPR fees as the scheme evolves.
5. Standardise Trigger Mechanisms
If you produce multiple products in similar bottle sizes, using a single trigger design across the range simplifies data collection and allows bulk purchasing at lower cost.
The Refill Revolution and EPR
The cleaning products industry is at the forefront of the refill movement, driven partly by EPR costs and partly by consumer demand. Key trends:
- In-store refill stations — customers bring their own bottles
- Concentrated refills — smaller pouches that customers dilute at home
- Dissolvable tablets and pods — minimal packaging
- Subscription refill models — regular deliveries in lightweight packaging
From an EPR perspective, refill formats dramatically reduce per-unit packaging weight. A brand that converts 50% of its volume to refills can cut its EPR packaging tonnage by 30-40%.
For more on refills and subscription models, see our EPR for subscription box businesses guide.
Plastic Packaging Tax Overlap
Cleaning product companies face a double obligation:
- Packaging EPR fees — based on packaging weight and material
- Plastic Packaging Tax — £210.82/tonne on plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content
These are separate charges. A company paying EPR fees on plastic packaging must ALSO pay the Plastic Packaging Tax if the recycled content threshold is not met.
For a comparison of these two regimes, see EPR vs Plastic Packaging Tax.
Getting Started
- Verify your obligation using the EPR compliance checklist
- Audit every packaging component across your product range
- Register with a compliance scheme or the Environment Agency
- Submit data via DEFRA’s RPD portal
- Develop a roadmap for packaging optimisation
Calculate your estimated fees with the EPR fee calculator and see our pricing page for compliance management tools.