HOUSEHOLD PACKAGING AND GRAPHIC PAPER
Citeo – your ally for a circular packaging and paper economy
Do you sell packaged products in France for household or end consumer consumption? Do you have printed materials printed on your behalf (catalogues, manuals, posters, etc.)? If so, you are bound by an obligation to manage and finance the end of life of your packaging and paper under a system known as extended producer responsibility (EPR), as provided for by the French Environmental Code since 1992 (Articles L.541-10 and L.541-10-1).
Citeo, a non-profit, mission-led organisation approved by the public authorities, provides you with a helping hand to manage and finance the end of life of your packaging and graphic paper.
In France, most companies have decided to work together under the aegis of producer responsibility organisations (PRO) approved by public authorities, such as Citeo. In concrete terms, when you join Citeo, we take on your responsibility in return for a financial contribution. Your Citeo membership funds the overall collection, sorting and recycling system and the development of reuse solutions for your packaging and paper in France.
Citeo membership also provides you with access to support from our experts and all our tools and services enabling you to eco-design your paper and packaging, communicate accurately to your customers on your products' environmental characteristics, and plan for the impact of increasingly stringent French and European regulations.
And of course once you are a member, you can estimate the amount you will be asked to contribute, receive your compulsory unique identifier number (UIN) and access the files for the compulsory on-pack Sorting Info label.
+50,000
clients, from entrepreneurs to multinationals
65.5%
recycling rate for household packaging in 2022
60%
recycling rate for graphic paper in 2022
Citeo's answers to your questions:
On 1 January 2024, the EPR schemes for household packaging and graphic paper merged under a single new set of specifications.
For graphic paper: you are subject to EPR if you have a printed paper item produced on your behalf whose grammage is ≤ 224 g/m2 and you place it in the French market. However, blank paper is declared directly by the companies manufacturing it.
The graphic paper products concerned include, but are not limited to : brochures, leaflets, catalogues, magazines, newspapers, mailings, headed paper, corporate documents, personalised envelopes, posters, user manuals, decorative paper, receipts, tickets, etc.
The scheme applies to all paper placed in the French market, irrespective of the paper's end recipients (households, professionals, public entities, etc.).
For household packaging: EPR applies primarily to household packaging, which has been the case since the system was set up in 1992. As such, all companies placing packaged products intended for French end consumers in the French market are subject to EPR.
Household packaging includes 'primary' packaging that comes into contact with products, such as plastic packets, cardboard boxes, bottles and caps, trays, cups, etc., as well as shipping packages, shopping bags, product labels, kraft paper, nets, etc. Packaging may be considered as items that consumers are likely to dispose of once they have been used.
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NEW SCOPE FOR HOUSEHOLD PACKAGING Since the creation of the new EPR scheme for Food Service Packaging (FSP) on 1 January 2024, the scope of household packaging has in the same time been extended to include ‘small-format’ packaging for food products, also known as ‘mixed commercial/household packaging’. This packaging is used by food service professionals (e.g. commercial and mass caterers, hotels, cafés, fresh food suppliers that also provide catering services, bakers, licensed premises, service stations) If you think that some of your packaging may be included in this extended scope, please consult the appendix of the order of 20 July 2023 which sets thresholds for items that may be considered as ‘small-format’ packaging. ‘Large-format’ packaging, on the other hand, is covered by the new EPR scheme for Food Service Packaging. Affected companies are therefore required to join an approved producer responsibility organisation (PRO). Please note that Citeo has set up a subsidiary, Citeo Pro, which is so far the only eco-organization approved for the new EPR scheme for Food Service Packaging. This EPR scheme came into force on March 15th, 2024. For further details, visit www.citeopro.com |
Who is subject to EPR?
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PRODUCERS: if the product (or printed paper item) is produced in France, for products you package or have packaged under your brand, unbranded or as an own-brand.
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IMPORTERS: if the product (or printed paper item) is produced abroad, for packaged products (or printed paper) purchased abroad and resold on the French market.
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RETAILERS: for service and shipping packaging intended for consumers, and if acting as an importer.
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MARKETPLACES: if third-party sellers have not declared the packaging (or printed paper) for the products sold on your e-commerce platform.
Please note: The EPR scheme applies regardless of the volume of packaging or paper.
As soon as you place any packaging or paper in the French market, you have to join a producer responsibility organisation (PRO).
If you only place packaging in the market and no paper (or vice versa), you simply have to specify this every year when submitting your yearly declaration.
➡ Any questions?
Have you been commissioned by French or foreign companies to act on their behalf in dealings with producer responsibility organisations approved for EPR schemes?
We have set up a dedicated team to support you with your duties.
Once listed, you will receive tailored guidance, and you can use our centralised management platform to carry out any procedures on behalf of your Citeo member clients.
For household packaging, the amount of your contribution depends on the number of packaged products (known as CSUs: Consumer Sales Units) placed in the market per year in France. Citeo offers three types of declaration based on that quantity or volume:
For graphic paper, the amount of your contribution will depend on the tonnage of paper produced in France per year. We are still waiting for the public authorities to approve the 2024 rates. The paper rate per tonne will be communicated once it has been approved.
Download the Citeo rates for Household Packaging (2024) and Graphic Paper (2023)
HOUSEHOLD PACKAGING: what is your Citeo contribution used for?
GRAPHIC PAPER: what is your Citeo contribution used for?
How do I get my unique identifier (UIN) ?
Since January 1st, 2022, you should be in possession of a unique identifier number (UIN) generated by the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME). Citeo takes care of all the administrative steps required by ADEME. You will receive your UIN a few days after becoming a member. Your UIN needs to appear in your T&Cs and any contractual documents.
How can I create my own sorting-info ?
Under the AGEC Law, it has been compulsory to add sorting instructions to all household packaging and graphic paper since January 1st, 2022.
Once you join Citeo, we'll provide you with all the information you need to affix this new sorting-info sign thanks to our exclusive online Sorting-Info creation tool, called "easy Info-tri".
Because we're committed to helping our clients comply with French regulations, we've developed this unique digital tool that enables you to create all your ready-to-print sorting-info for your packaging and paper in just a few clicks, whatever their specific shape, size, type of packaging or paper, or country of destination...
Since its creation, more than a hundred sorting-infos per day have been created by our clients in complete autonomy.
