Key Takeaways

A systematic data collection process saves time and money — ad hoc data gathering before each reporting deadline is stressful, error-prone, and expensive.
Integrate packaging data into existing systems (ERP, procurement, product management) rather than running a separate spreadsheet.
Assign clear responsibilities — someone must own the packaging data process, with input from procurement, operations, and product teams.
Capture packaging data at the point of change — when new products are launched or packaging is redesigned, update the data immediately.
Automate where possible — linking procurement data to packaging specifications eliminates manual calculations.

Why Systematic Data Collection Matters

EPR reporting is not a one-off exercise. You must submit packaging data to DEFRA regularly — annually for small producers, every six months for large producers. Without a systematic process, each reporting period becomes a scramble to gather data from multiple sources, leading to:

Inaccurate reporting (and incorrect fee calculations)
Missed deadlines (and potential penalties)
Wasted staff time (and high compliance costs)
Inability to identify cost reduction opportunities

Setting up a proper data collection system now pays dividends for years.

For reporting details, see how to report packaging data to DEFRA.

What Data You Need

For each packaging component, you need:

Data Point	Example
Product/SKU	SKU-12345
Component description	Outer corrugated box
Material type	Corrugated cardboard
Weight (grams)	350g
Packaging category	Transit
Activity type	Manufacturer/Importer/Seller
Units sold/dispatched	50,000 per year
Nation distribution	Eng 80%, Scot 10%, Wales 5%, NI 5%

For a full list of EPR data fields, see the DEFRA RPD CSV format guide.

Data Sources in Your Business

You likely already have most of the data you need, spread across different systems:

Packaging Specifications

Source: Product development, packaging supplier specs What it provides: Material types, component weights, packaging structure

Procurement Data

Source: Purchasing/procurement system What it provides: Quantities of packaging purchased (boxes, bags, film, labels)

Sales/Dispatch Data

Source: ERP, order management system, warehouse management What it provides: Units sold/dispatched, delivery destinations (for nation data)

Product Master Data

Source: PIM (Product Information Management), ERP What it provides: Product-to-packaging mapping, SKU details

Import Records

Source: Customs declarations, shipping documents What it provides: Imported product volumes, country of origin

Setting Up Your System

Option 1: Spreadsheet-Based (Small-Medium Businesses)

Create a central spreadsheet with three tabs:

Tab 1 — Packaging Register: Every packaging component with material, weight, and category

SKU	Component	Material	Weight (g)	Category
A001	Outer box	Corrugated card	350	Transit
A001	Inner bag	PE film	5	Primary
A001	Label	Paper	2	Primary

Tab 2 — Sales Data: Monthly sales volumes by SKU, by nation

Tab 3 — Calculations: Formulae to calculate tonnage per material per category per nation

Option 2: ERP-Integrated (Larger Businesses)

Add packaging data fields to your existing ERP or product management system:

Create packaging BOM (Bill of Materials) for each product
Link to sales data for automatic volume calculations
Set up automated reports for EPR submission periods
Include approval workflows for packaging changes

Option 3: Dedicated Software

Specialist EPR compliance software can:

Store packaging specifications
Import sales data from your ERP
Calculate tonnage and fees automatically
Generate submission-ready data files
Alert you to packaging changes that affect compliance

Explore our compliance tools for options.

Team Responsibilities

Packaging Data Owner

Who: Usually someone in operations, quality, or compliance Responsibility: Maintaining the packaging register, ensuring data accuracy, submitting reports

Product/Packaging Development

Responsibility: Providing packaging specifications for new products, updating specs when packaging changes

Procurement

Responsibility: Sharing data on packaging materials purchased, flagging supplier changes

Warehouse/Logistics

Responsibility: Providing dispatch data for nation data calculations, tracking transit packaging

Finance

Responsibility: Validating sales volumes, processing EPR fee payments

Suggested Process

New product launch: Product team provides packaging specs → Data owner adds to register
Packaging change: Procurement/product team notifies data owner → Register updated
Monthly: Warehouse provides dispatch data → Data owner updates volumes
Reporting period: Data owner calculates tonnage → Submits to DEFRA
Annual: Full packaging weight audit → Verify and update register

Automation Options

Simple Automation

Spreadsheet formulae linking packaging weights to sales volumes
Pivot tables summarising tonnage by material, category, and nation
Email reminders for data collection deadlines

Intermediate Automation

ERP reports pulling packaging BOM data against sales
Automated nation data calculation using delivery postcode mapping
Dashboard showing current tonnage and estimated fees

Advanced Automation

API integration between your ERP and EPR reporting systems
Real-time packaging data tracking across product lines
Automated alerts when packaging changes require EPR updates
Fee modelling to evaluate packaging design alternatives

Maintaining Data Quality

Regular Reviews

Quarterly: Spot-check 10-20 products to verify packaging weights match your register
Annually: Conduct a full packaging weight audit
At every packaging change: Update the register immediately

Version Control

Record the date each packaging specification was entered or updated
Retain historical specs to support prior-period reporting
Note the reason for changes (e.g., “lightweighted box from 380g to 350g”)

Validation Checks

Compare calculated tonnage against packaging procurement volumes (should roughly align)
Check that total nation percentages sum to 100%
Verify that high-volume products are contributing proportionally to tonnage

Getting Started

Appoint a packaging data owner with clear accountability
Create your packaging register — start with your top 50 products by volume
Link to sales data — even a simple VLOOKUP saves hours
Set up a change notification process — so new products and packaging changes are captured
Schedule regular reviews to maintain data quality

Check our EPR compliance checklist for the full compliance process.

How to Set Up Packaging Data Collection for EPR

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