Wholesale of beverages
Beverage wholesalers handle glass bottles, aluminium cans, plastic bottles, and multi-pack packaging. Those importing beverages into the UK carry EPR obligations for all accompanying packaging. The high weight of glass bottles means drinks wholesalers often have disproportionately large glass packaging obligations compared to other wholesale sectors.
Common Packaging Types
EPR Questions for SIC 46.34
Does SIC code 46.34 have EPR obligations?
Yes. Businesses operating under SIC code 46.34 (Wholesale of beverages) are subject to UK EPR packaging regulations if they meet the turnover threshold (annual turnover exceeding £1 million) and tonnage threshold (handling more than 25 tonnes of packaging per year). Both thresholds must be met.
What packaging do wholesale of beverages businesses need to report?
Common packaging types include: Glass bottles, Aluminium cans, Plastic bottles, Multi-pack cardboard, Pallet wrap. All primary, secondary, and transit packaging must be tracked by material type and weight, then reported to DEFRA via the RPD portal.
How much packaging does a typical business in this sector handle?
Typical SMEs in the wholesale of beverages sector handle approximately 20-150 tonnes of packaging per year. This varies based on business size, product range, and supply chain complexity. Use our compliance checker for a personalised assessment.
EPR compliance for wholesale of beverages
Start tracking your packaging obligations in minutes.
Start Your Free Trial