Table of Contents
- What Is Nation Data?
- Who Must Report Nation Data?
- Methods for Calculating Nation Data
- Practical Steps
- Common Challenges
- Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- Large producers (over £2M turnover and 50+ tonnes) must report nation data showing where their packaging ends up across the four UK nations.
- Nation data allocates your packaging tonnage to England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland based on where consumers dispose of it.
- Delivery address data is the most common and practical method for calculating nation splits.
- Using population-based estimates is acceptable as a fallback when delivery data is not available.
- Percentages must total 100% across the four nations for each material type.
What Is Nation Data?
Nation data is the geographic breakdown of where your packaging is distributed across the four UK nations:
- England
- Scotland
- Wales
- Northern Ireland
This data is used to allocate EPR fee payments to the correct nation, since each nation’s local authorities bear the cost of collecting and processing packaging waste in their area.
For background, see our packaging EPR nation data guide.
Who Must Report Nation Data?
Nation data reporting is required for large producers only:
| Producer Size | Turnover | Tonnage | Nation Data Required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | £1M-£2M | 25-50t | No |
| Large | Over £2M | Over 50t | Yes |
If you are a small producer, you do not need to calculate nation data. Your fees are calculated using a default national split.
For more on producer sizes, see small vs large producer obligations.
Methods for Calculating Nation Data
Method 1: Delivery Address Data (Most Accurate)
Use the postcodes of your delivery addresses to determine which nation each delivery went to:
| Postcode Prefix | Nation |
|---|---|
| All postcodes except below | England |
| AB, DD, DG, EH, FK, G, HS, IV, KA, KW, KY, ML, PA, PH, TD, ZE | Scotland |
| CF, LD, LL, NP, SA, SY (parts) | Wales |
| BT | Northern Ireland |
Method 2: Customer Location Data
If you sell through intermediaries (wholesalers, retailers), use the location of your direct customers:
- Where are your retail customers’ stores located?
- What proportion of sales goes to each nation?
Method 3: Population-Based Estimate
If you cannot determine where your packaging ends up, use population proportions as a proxy:
| Nation | Population Share (approx.) |
|---|---|
| England | 84% |
| Scotland | 8% |
| Wales | 5% |
| Northern Ireland | 3% |
This method is acceptable when more precise data is not available, but actual delivery data is preferred.
Method 4: Revenue-Based Split
Use your sales revenue by nation as a proxy for packaging distribution. If 85% of your revenue comes from English customers, allocate 85% of packaging to England.
Practical Steps
Step 1: Extract Delivery Data
Pull delivery address data from your order management or ERP system for the reporting period. You need:
- Delivery postcode (or at minimum, the first part of the postcode)
- Order quantity or weight
Step 2: Map Postcodes to Nations
Create a lookup table mapping postcode areas to nations. Many ERP systems can do this automatically. If not, a spreadsheet VLOOKUP against postcode area codes works.
Step 3: Calculate Percentages
For each product line (or overall, if distribution is uniform):
Nation percentage = (units delivered to nation / total units delivered) x 100
Step 4: Apply to Packaging Tonnage
Multiply your total packaging tonnage per material by the nation percentages:
Example:
- Total corrugated card: 100 tonnes
- England: 82%, Scotland: 9%, Wales: 5%, NI: 4%
| Nation | Percentage | Tonnage |
|---|---|---|
| England | 82% | 82.0t |
| Scotland | 9% | 9.0t |
| Wales | 5% | 5.0t |
| Northern Ireland | 4% | 4.0t |
| Total | 100% | 100.0t |
Step 5: Verify and Document
- Check that percentages sum to 100%
- Document your methodology
- Retain the source data for audit purposes
Common Challenges
Selling Through Wholesalers/Distributors
If you sell to distributors rather than end consumers, you may not know the final destination:
Options:
- Ask your distributors for geographic sales data
- Use the distributor’s warehouse location as a proxy (less accurate)
- Use population-based estimates as a fallback
Multi-Channel Sales
If you sell through multiple channels (direct, retail, online, wholesale), calculate nation data for each channel and weight-average:
| Channel | % of Sales | England | Scotland | Wales | NI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct online | 30% | 80% | 10% | 6% | 4% |
| Retail | 50% | 85% | 8% | 4% | 3% |
| Wholesale | 20% | 90% | 5% | 3% | 2% |
| Weighted average | 84.5% | 8.1% | 4.3% | 3.1% |
Different Distribution by Product
Some products may sell disproportionately in certain nations. If your Scottish sales are concentrated in a few product lines, calculate nation data by product group rather than applying a single company-wide split.
Online Sales with Unknown Destination
For e-commerce orders, the delivery postcode is always available. Use it directly — this is the most accurate data source.
Regulatory Requirements
- Nation data percentages must be reasonable and supportable
- Regulators can challenge your methodology and request evidence
- Using population-based estimates without attempting to gather actual data may be questioned
- Keep records of your methodology and source data for at least 7 years
Getting Started
- Determine if you need nation data — only large producers (£2M+ turnover, 50+ tonnes)
- Extract delivery data from your order system
- Map to nations using postcode lookup
- Calculate percentages per nation
- Apply to your packaging tonnage and include in your DEFRA submission
For full reporting guidance, see how to report packaging data to DEFRA. Use the EPR fee calculator and visit our pricing page.