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Choosing the Right Automation Tools for EPR
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Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) will soon require businesses to submit detailed packaging data by April 2026; manual processes just won’t cut it. This article explores why automation is essential for saving time, avoiding errors, and making compliance seamless with accurate weighing and dimensioning tools.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is reshaping packaging regulations. With the data submission deadline of 1st April 2026 approaching, now’s the time to consider how you collect packaging data, timely and accurately.
Read on to understand more of what EPR is, why manual processes are slow, and how automation through weighing and dimensioning will not only speed up the management of packaging waste but also reduces error and prepares you in advance of that upcoming deadline.
EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) is a new scheme developed to reform the existing PRN/PERN system, which was introduced in 1997 under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations.
This original system required companies handling large volumes of packaging to help fund recycling by purchasing Packaging Recovery Notes (PRNs) or Packaging Export Recovery Notes (PERNs).
However, the PRN/PERN system only covered around 3–7% of the actual waste management costs, leaving local authorities and taxpayers to cover the rest. In 2018, the Government committed to overhauling this system through the Resources and Waste Strategy, aiming to make producers responsible for the full net cost of managing packaging waste.
This led to consultations in 2019, 2021, and 2022, with mandatory packaging data collection introduced in 2023 under the EPR scheme. From 2025, fees will be modulated, meaning businesses will pay more for packaging that is hard to recycle.
Collecting weight and dimension data manually is time-consuming and repetitive. Using a dimensioner, such as the Resolution Go Express and Go means staff aren’t tied up measuring and logging boxes; it’s done in less than a second, and without errors.
Regulators require precise packaging data. A combination of automated dimensioners and scales ensure consistency across all packaging types, helping you avoid under-reporting and fines.
EPR requires packaging data to be linked to each shipment. When measurement automation is integrated into your systems, compliance can become seamless. The measurement data is stored automatically, meaning you won’t need to add an additional task to your to do list for compliance reasons.
Automation improves your warehouse flow too, alongside helping to meet EPR compliance. This leads to quicker despatch, fewer bottlenecks, and better use of your team’s time. For smaller packaging, the Resolution Go Express is the perfect go-to, whereas the Resolution Go suits larger packaging.
Don’t wait until Q1 2026 to start thinking about EPR. Implementing automation now gives your business time to test, adapt, and scale as needed.
The sooner you start collecting accurate data, the better prepared you’ll be. Not just for April 2026, but for the long-term shift in packaging accountability.
Want to see how automated data capture could work in your operation?
Our Resolution Go systems offer accurate, instant weighing and dimensioning – perfect for capturing packaging data to help with your EPR compliance.
The information provided in this blog is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional or legal advice. AWM Limited assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the content or for any actions taken based on the information provided. Use of this information is at your own risk, and AWM Limited is not liable for any damages arising from its use.
