EPR: What It Means for Brands and Flexi-Hex

If you’re a brand selling packaged goods in the UK, there’s a new acronym you need to know: EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility). It’s not just another piece of red tape; it’s a major shift in how packaging waste is managed. And, it’s already changing the way businesses think about their packaging choices.

What Is EPR?

EPR is a UK regulation that makes brands financially responsible for the full lifecycle of their packaging, from production to disposal. That means covering the costs of collecting, sorting, treating, and recycling packaging waste, which were previously paid for by local councils and taxpayers.

If your business has a turnover of more than £1 million and places over 25 tonnes of packaging on the UK market annually, you’re now required to:

• Submit detailed packaging data reports
• Pay EPR fees based on the recyclability of your packaging
• Prepare for eco-modulation (higher fees for hard-to-recycle materials)
• Potentially add recyclability labelling to your packaging by 2026

Why It Matters

EPR is designed to incentivise better packaging design and reduce waste. It’s part of a broader push toward a circular economy, where materials are reused, recycled, and kept in use for as long as possible. For brands, packaging choices now carry direct financial and environmental consequences.

How Flexi-Hex Helps

At Flexi-Hex, we’ve always believed in doing things the right way and that means designing packaging that’s not just protective and beautiful, but also responsible.

Here’s how we help brands stay ahead of EPR requirements:

• Recycled Material: Our sleeves are made from 100% recycled paper; a material favoured under eco-modulation for its lower environmental impact and ease of recycling.

• Reusable by Design: Flexi-Hex sleeves are durable enough to be reused by consumers for gifting, storage, or shipping. And while no brand has done it yet, we’re ready to support a closed-loop reuse system – we just need a pioneering partner to lead the way.

• EPR-Ready Materials: Made from a single material (paper), our packaging is easy to report on, easy to recycle, and less likely to attract high EPR fees in the future.

Our sleeves are made from 100% recycled paper; a material favoured under eco-modulation for its lower environmental impact and ease of recycling.

But There’s a Catch…

While EPR is a step in the right direction, its current structure is based on weight, not impact. That means lighter materials like plastic can sometimes appear more cost-effective, even if they’re less sustainable. We believe this needs to change.

That’s why we’ve gone further:

• 100% Recycled Paper: If we hadn’t mentioned it already 😉 our packaging is made entirely from recycled content. This reduces the need for virgin materials and supporting a truly circular economy.

• FSC Certified & B Corp Aligned: Our FSC certification ensures responsible sourcing. Our B Corp status reflects our commitment to people, planet, and transparency.

• Read Our Paper Report: We’ve put together a deep dive into why we believe recycled paper is a better material choice than plastic; for people, for the planet, and for the future of packaging.

Looking Ahead

EPR is here to stay and it’s only going to get stricter. But with the right packaging partner, it doesn’t have to be a burden. At Flexi-Hex, we’re helping brands turn regulation into opportunity with packaging that’s clever, sustainable, and ready for what’s next.