Do you have any questions?

Contact Nadja


Nadja Volant
Customer and Sales Manager
nadja.volant@tmr.se | +46 (0) 790 06 24 58

Producer responsibility for packaging

Producer responsibility for packaging means that companies that place packaging on the market are also responsible for ensuring that the packaging is collected, recycled and disposed of in an environmentally sustainable manner. Producer responsibility is a legal requirement in Sweden and the EU and aims to reduce the environmental impact of packaging through increased recycling and better use of resources.

The purpose of producer responsibility for packaging is to ensure that whoever sells packaged products on the market also ensures that the packaging is disposed of in the best possible way after it has been emptied.

Producer responsibility for packaging was introduced in Sweden in 1994 and has since been revised several times. The regulations have been developed to align with EU legislation on packaging and packaging waste and to help companies choose more sustainable packaging solutions.
Through producer responsibility, all producers have the same basic responsibility for the collection and recycling of packaging, which creates a level playing field for companies that put packaging on the market.

Sustainable management

What is producer responsibility for packaging?

Producer responsibility means that companies that put products or packaging on the market are also responsible for them throughout their life cycle. This includes everything from design and material selection to collection, recycling and reporting of packaging volumes.

Producer responsibility for packaging is an important part of the EU’s work towards a circular economy and aims to reduce waste and increase the recycling of materials.

The importance of Producer Responsibility:

Minimizing environmental impact

Promoting the circular economy

Strengthening the brand

Encouraging innovation

Packaging on the market

Who has producer responsibility?

All businesses that distributes packaging or packaged goods on the Swedish market from the first time have producer responsibility. This can be the manufacturing or import of a packaging, but also the import of a pre-packaged product, filling a packaging or adding packaging material to an existing product. Similarly, businesses outside Sweden that export packaging or products to a Swedish user have a producer responsibility.

SOME EXAMPLES

Producer responsibility according to the Packaging Regulation

The business that first distributes a packaging or packaged products on the Swedish market is also responsible for its producer responsibility. But in practice, it can be different businesses and sometimes even several businesses can be responsible. Some examples are:

  • the manufacturer of a package
  • the person filling a package
  • the importer of a package
  • who adds a packaging component to an already existing package
  • anyone who exports a product from abroad directly to a consumer in Sweden.
Join us

REDUCE OVERALL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Design for recycling in producer responsibility for packaging

In simple terms, this concept means that from the beginning of product development, packaging is also developed with the purpose of reducing the overall environmental impact of the product during its life cycle. For packaging, this includes matters such as:

  • choice of materials: renewable or recycled raw materials, non-toxic materials, etc.
  • design and the possibility of separating different materials during collection
  • recyclability and the demand for the recycled material

COLLECTION & TRANSPORTATION

Packaging fees

The packaging fee is based on different factors.

Among other things, the packaging fee will finance the municipal collection of packaging waste, but it will also cover the costs of logistics and treatment processes. This includes collecting packaging from municipal collection points, transporting it to sorting facilities, baling the packaging material and finally recycling it.

Packaging fees are the same for all producer customers and the minimum charge is 1000 SEK per quarter.

The Packaging Regulation prohibits approved producer responsibility organizations from distributing profits. As TMR is an approved producer responsibility organization, it operates on a non-profit basis.

Download current packaging fees:
Swedish or English.

PACKAGING VOLUMES

Reporting of packaging under producer responsibility

Producer responsibility means that all businesses that distributes packaging or packaged products on the Swedish market must be registered with the Environmental Protection Agency and report their packaging volumes. Reporting is done to us as a producer responsibility organization (PRO), which ensures that the packaging volumes have been reported correctly and then sends the report to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.

Reporting of packaging volumes is done monthly or quarterly in our customer portal. The final reporting to the Environmental Protection Agency takes place quarterly during the year, but a compilation of all packaging volumes is also made at the beginning of each year for the previous year, which we then report to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation

PPWR

The new EU Regulation (2025/40) replaces the Packaging Directive (94/62/EC) and introduces stricter requirements for packaging. The regulation is directly applicable throughout the EU without national adaptations and becomes binding as of August 12, 2026.

However, some provisions are subject to longer transitional periods and will therefore enter into force at a later date. The European Commission will continuously adopt implementing and delegated acts to clarify the regulatory framework and provide guidance on its application. For Sweden, this means that national legislation needs to be adapted to ensure compliance with the new EU rules.

COLLECT YOUR PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY

Nordic producer responsibility

We understand that producer responsibility can be complex and time-consuming, which is why we have now made it easier for companies to meet their obligations in the Nordic region. This applies to packaging, electrical products and batteries, three product groups that are subject to specific requirements in the EU’s green transition. With the Nordic PRO Solution service, you can collect your producer responsibility obligations in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland through one single contact point.

  • A contact person
  • Consolidated reporting
  • A Nordic team of experts
  • Local knowledge, Nordic reach
  • You contact your TMR contact person, and we will guide you further based on where you operate.
  • You get a coordinated solution for all four countries, where contact routes, reporting and advice are linked.
  • We’ll make sure you’re kept up to date with legislative changes, reporting requirements and deadlines.

Together with TMR, Nordic PRO Solution is built on strong partners:

  • El-Kretsen (Sweden): Specialist in electronics and batteries, with nationwide collection.
  • FOR NORSIRK (Norway): broad solution for electricity, batteries, packaging and agricultural plastics.
  • Elker Oy (Finland): Expert på producentansvar för elektronik och batterier, med rikstäckande insamling och återvinning.
  • Sumi Oy (Finland): Responsible for all types of packaging and driving developments in sorting and chemical recycling.
  • Retur (Denmark): brings together five producer responsibilities for electronics, packaging, batteries, textiles and fishing gear in a single solution.

Contact us at nordic@tmr.se to learn more about Nordic PRO Solution

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?

Q&A Producer responsibility

Plastic, paper, metal, glass and wood packaging. And those in the “other” category such as textile and ceramic packaging.

On January 1, 2024, municipalities took over responsibility for the collection of household packaging. In regarding to this, the producer must reimburse the municipalities through TMR for collection according to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s regulations. The implementation of kerbside collection in all Swedish municipalities is extensive and therefore costly.

The quarterly price changes are linked to the municipalities’ costs for the collection of household packaging. These costs are variable and can change depending on the timing and method of implementation decided by the municipalities. Municipalities have until the end of 2026-2027 to complete the implementation of kerbside collection.

We have developed a material guide to help you easily assess which category your material falls into. This is available as a pdf in the customer portal for you to download. Log in here.

Yes, the legislator has clearly stipulated this, as can be seen from the Packaging Ordinance, Chapter 4, Section 1, second paragraph, which states that the obligations in the Ordinance apply even if the producer’s packaging is submitted to a market-driven recycling system.

Du hittar information om detta här: återvinning.