Wholesale of pharmaceutical goods
Pharmaceutical wholesalers distributing medicines and health products use corrugated boxes, cold-chain packaging, and tamper-evident seals. Those importing pharmaceutical products into the UK bear EPR obligations for all accompanying packaging. Temperature-controlled packaging including insulated boxes and gel packs must be included in EPR tonnage calculations.
Common Packaging Types
EPR Questions for SIC 46.46
Does SIC code 46.46 have EPR obligations?
Yes. Businesses operating under SIC code 46.46 (Wholesale of pharmaceutical goods) 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 pharmaceutical goods businesses need to report?
Common packaging types include: Corrugated boxes, Insulated shipping containers, Gel packs, Tamper-evident seals, 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 pharmaceutical goods sector handle approximately 10-60 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 pharmaceutical goods
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