Uncontrolled growth in EPR contributions

For several months now, Jean Hornain, Citeo's Managing Director, has been publicly warning of the EPR Emballages' financial slide. Press appearances, conferences, round tables... the message is clear: the business model is on the verge of collapse.

The figures are indisputable:

• 1.3 billion raised by 2024,
  
  
• 1.6 billion expected in 2025,
  
  
• And up to €2 billion in 2026, if nothing changes.
  
  

This annual increase of over 20% is due to a number of combined factors: increasingly complex systems, extended obligations, higher sorting, collection and treatment costs, and the growing importance of regulatory requirements (eco-modulations, transparency, recycling targets, etc.).

Structural tension on the EPR model

The EPR is based on a simple principle: "the polluter pays". But its current application reveals a flaw: the imbalance between the growing regulatory objectives and the actual financing capacities of marketers.

In particular, Citeo emphasizes

• The accumulation of costly measures (re-use fund, bonus/malus, investment in sorting centers, etc.);
  
  
• There is an urgent need to revise the scales to avoid overtaxing well-designed packaging;
  
  
• A threat to medium-term economic sustainability, especially for SMEs, VSEs and e-commerce players.
  
  

The hidden challenge: anticipating future adjustments

Beyond being a warning signal, this situation should encourage companies to anticipate future rule changes:

• Potential revision of scales or modulation criteria ;
  
  
• New environmental labelling and traceability requirements ;
  
  
• Speeding up the digital compliance of EPR declarations.
  
  

On June 12, 2025, the ReUse approach - large-scale reuse - will be officially launched. This ambitious project (30 million containers shared, 100 players mobilized) will also add new burdens to the current structure. Hence the urgent need to rebalance the EPR model.

CompliancR : manage your EPR contributions and anticipate future increases

At CompliancR, we support marketers in the face of the regulatory and financial inflation of EPR. Our AI solution helps you to :

• Calculate your contributions Scheme by Scheme, in real time;
  
  
• Simulate the impact of different modulations or scales;
  
  
• Manage your data flows and justify your declarations to eco-organizations;
  
  
• Anticipate future reforms, by structuring your compliance around reliable data today.
  
  

EPR is evolving fast, and its cost is exploding. CompliancR gives you the means to stay in control - technically, financially and legally.

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