Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is no longer something food and industrial manufacturers can ignore. As regulations take effect in Europe, Canada, and U.S. states like California and Maine, packaging decisions now come with legal and financial implications.
While most conversations focus on consumer-facing packaging, secondary packaging, the boxes, trays, inserts, and wrap that move goods through the supply-chain plays a major role in compliance, waste volume, and recovery rates. It’s also one of the fastest areas to optimize.
SoGreenPack works with manufacturers to redesign secondary packaging not just for efficiency and protection but to meet EPR requirements with minimal disruption to operations.
What EPR Means for Packaging
Extended Producer Responsibility laws shift the financial and physical burden of packaging disposal from governments to manufacturers. In practice, that means:
- Paying eco-modulated fees based on the recyclability and environmental impact of your packaging
- Being required to report the weight and material type of packaging used
- Providing clear recycling information to consumers or B2B end users
- Meeting recycled content thresholds for certain materials
EPR programs are expanding. Brands that are not adapting their packaging portfolio may face increasing costs, lost market access, or reputational risk.
Why Secondary Packaging Shouldn’t Be Overlooked
Secondary packaging is often where the most material waste and opportunity exists. Consider:
- Overbuilt corrugated boxes using double-wall board unnecessarily
- Foam or multi-layer inserts that can’t be recycled
- Plastic strapping, laminated wrap, or films that contaminate recycling streams
- Secondary bundles that are oversized or inconsistent with pallet patterns
Optimizing these systems helps reduce weight, improve recyclability, and avoid penalties.
Strategies for Smarter, EPR-Ready Secondary Packaging
- Switch to Mono-Material DesignsAvoid plastic-coated paperboard, mixed polymers, or anything that can’t be easily separated. Choose structures that are 100% paper or 100% film recyclable in a single stream.
- Use Labeled or Pre-Printed Disposal GuidanceEPR laws are increasingly requiring clear end-of-life instructions. Add printed “recycle,” “compost,” or QR-based info directly on the packaging.
- Right-Size to Eliminate Void FillOversized boxes lead to unnecessary dunnage (often plastic) and higher costs. Right-sizing reduces material use, lowers emissions per shipment, and eliminates downstream disposal burden.
- Standardize and Simplify Trays, Dividers, and InsertsA single fiber-based insert design can often replace several SKUs’ worth of plastic trays or foam blocks. This improves recovery, reporting, and inventory control.
- Audit Packaging for EPR Fee ExposureMap your secondary packaging usage against EPR fee tables (where applicable). Identify high-cost materials and convert them to compliant alternatives.
EPR Is a Risk But Also a Lever
Yes, EPR introduces more complexity. But it also gives brands a reason to re-examine packaging systems that have gone unchallenged for years.
Smarter secondary packaging can lower costs, reduce waste, and improve your position with buyers and regulators. Done right, it can even improve speed and efficiency throughout your supply chain.
Want to make your packaging EPR-compliant without slowing down operations?
Contact sales@sogreenpack.com to review your current systems and start the shift toward smarter, compliant packaging.