Bags packaging EPR France: what a paper bag costs per 1,000 packs, 2026
Last verified
In France, 1,000 paper bags of the Medium (grocery bag) size (50 g) carry an estimated packaging fee of €12.91 on the 2026 schedule. The range comes from the published rates of Citeo household packaging contribution (emballages ménagers) that fit each part of the pack. Instica estimates it; you confirm the weights, then sign and submit.
What this page estimates for a paper bag in France
The paper bag on this page is a kraft or white paper bag that carries a product out of a shop or holds it inside a parcel. It has one component, each matched to the published rates of the 2026 schedule of Citeo household packaging contribution (emballages ménagers) for France; weight times rate gives a fee per 1,000 packs in EUR. The figures are estimates built on starting weights.
What is in a paper bag
The bag is one paper component. Handles, window patches and inner coatings are not weighed separately in the starting estimate, so weigh a finished bag if yours has them.
Starting weights, an Instica estimate for a typical pack and not a measured weight: bag (paper, 50 g).
- Bag
- paper, 50 g (Instica starting estimate)
Worked example: 1,000 paper bags in France
One paper bag of the Medium (grocery bag) size weighs 50 g in total. For each component the table gives its weight, the matched published rates, and the fee for 1,000 packs.
| Component | Weight each | Matched published rate | Fee per 1,000 packs | Fee per pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bag | 50 g | Paper and cardboard | €12.91 | €0.0129 |
France: 1,000 paper bags of the Medium (grocery bag) size are estimated at €12.91 in packaging fees.
Added together, the estimate for 1,000 packs is €12.91.
Divide by 1,000 for a single pack: about €0.0129.
What the fee tool returns for 1,000 paper bags in France
Entered into the public fee tool for France (2026 schedule, effective January 1, 2026), 1,000 paper bags give the figures below. The tool is the same engine that prices a report, so this page and the tool agree.
| Component | Category at the lowest rate | Weight | Fee | Category at the highest rate | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bag | Paper and cardboard | 50 g | €12.91 | Paper and cardboard | €12.91 |
France: the fee tool returns €12.91 for 1,000 paper bags of the Medium (grocery bag) size (50 g each).
The tool total is €12.91.
| Size | Weight each | Total, lowest rates | Total, highest rates | Per pack, lowest | Per pack, highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small (lunch bag) | 20 g | €5.16 | €5.16 | €0.0052 | €0.0052 |
| Medium (grocery bag) | 50 g | €12.91 | €12.91 | €0.0129 | €0.0129 |
| Large (shopping bag with handles) | 110 g | €28.39 | €28.39 | €0.0284 | €0.0284 |
Which published rates were matched in France
One published rate was matched to the pack in France from the 2026 schedule. Each is quoted from the programme’s own fee table; the page does not change the rate or round it.
Bag, 50 g: one matched rate
| Category | Published rate | Per kilogram | Fee per 1,000 packs | Fee per pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper and cardboard | 25.81 cents per kilogram | €0.2581 | €12.91 | €0.0129 |
France 2026: the category “Paper and cardboard” is published at 25.81 cents per kilogram.
How size changes the fee for a paper bag
The weight of a paper bag depends on its size. The table prices each of the 3 sizes with the same matched rates, so the only thing that changes between rows is the weight.
| Size | Weight each | Fee per 1,000 packs, lowest rates | Fee per 1,000 packs, highest rates | Per pack, lowest | Per pack, highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small (lunch bag) | 20 g | €5.16 | €5.16 | €0.0052 | €0.0052 |
| Medium (grocery bag) | 50 g | €12.91 | €12.91 | €0.0129 | €0.0129 |
| Large (shopping bag with handles) | 110 g | €28.39 | €28.39 | €0.0284 | €0.0284 |
Each component of the paper bag priced at every size, at the matched rates for France.
| Component | Small (lunch bag) | Medium (grocery bag) | Large (shopping bag with handles) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bag | 20 g: €5.16 | 50 g: €12.91 | 110 g: €28.39 |
What if the paper bag used another material?
Suppose the main component of the paper bag, weighing 50 g, were made of another material. The table prices the same weight in each material class that France publishes a rate for, at the lowest published rate in that class.
| Material | Lowest published rate | Fee per 1,000 packs at that rate | Highest published rate | Fee per 1,000 packs at that rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| paper and board | 25.81 cents per kilogram | €12.91 | 25.81 cents per kilogram | €12.91 |
| plastic | 77.01 cents per kilogram | €38.51 | 84.01 cents per kilogram | €42.01 |
| glass | 2.01 cents per kilogram | €1.01 | 2.01 cents per kilogram | €1.01 |
| aluminium | 24.34 cents per kilogram | €12.17 | 24.34 cents per kilogram | €12.17 |
| steel | 6.49 cents per kilogram | €3.25 | 6.49 cents per kilogram | €3.25 |
| Material | Category | Published rate | Fee per 1,000 packs | Fee per pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| plastic | Flexible PE packaging | 77.01 cents per kilogram | €38.51 | €0.0385 |
| plastic | Flexible PP packaging | 84.01 cents per kilogram | €42.01 | €0.042 |
| glass | Glass | 2.01 cents per kilogram | €1.01 | €0.001 |
| aluminium | Aluminium | 24.34 cents per kilogram | €12.17 | €0.0122 |
| steel | Steel | 6.49 cents per kilogram | €3.25 | €0.0032 |
A fee comparison only: another material changes weight and protection too.
What a larger run of paper bags costs in France
Fees scale with the number of packs, because the schedule charges by mass. The table repeats the worked example for larger runs of the Medium (grocery bag) paper bag in France. Nothing else changes between rows: the same weights and the same matched rates apply.
| Packs | Total weight | Fee at the lowest rates | Fee at the highest rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 5 kg | €1.29 | €1.29 |
| 500 | 25 kg | €6.45 | €6.45 |
| 1,000 | 50 kg | €12.91 | €12.91 |
| 5,000 | 250 kg | €64.53 | €64.53 |
| 10,000 | 500 kg | €129.05 | €129.05 |
| 50,000 | 2,500 kg | €645.25 | €645.25 |
| 100,000 | 5,000 kg | €1,290.50 | €1,290.50 |
| 500,000 | 25,000 kg | €6,452.50 | €6,452.50 |
| 1,000,000 | 50,000 kg | €12,905.00 | €12,905.00 |
France: a single paper bag is estimated at €0.0129 in packaging fees.
France: across all its components, a paper bag is priced at €0.2581 per kilogram of packaging.
Taken as a whole, the pack is priced at €0.2581 per kilogram of packaging, so a heavier pack costs more in proportion to its weight.
Flat fee bands, registration fees and minimum charges sit outside this per-kilogram table.
The fee schedule behind these figures for France
The rates come from the 2026 schedule of Citeo household packaging contribution (emballages ménagers) for France, effective January 1, 2026. The facts below record where it was published and what else the schedule charges.
France: the 2026 fee schedule of Citeo household packaging contribution (emballages ménagers), effective January 1, 2026, is the source of the per-kilogram rates used on this page.
France: the schedule lists a further fee, “Citeo flat fee and minimum billing”, of 110 EUR per year excl. VAT.
France: the schedule lists a further fee, “Abandoned-waste contribution per UVC with 1 packaging unit: household goods (including tobacco)”, of 0.1482 EUR cents per UVC excl. VAT.
France: the schedule lists a further fee, “Abandoned-waste contribution per UVC with 1 packaging unit: beverages”, of 0.1722 EUR cents per UVC excl. VAT.
France: the schedule lists a further fee, “Abandoned-waste contribution per UVC with 1 packaging unit: supplies and shipping parcels”, of 0.1545 EUR cents per UVC excl. VAT.
France: the schedule lists a further fee, “Abandoned-waste contribution per UVC with 1 packaging unit: grocery”, of 0.1631 EUR cents per UVC excl. VAT.
France: the schedule lists a further fee, “Abandoned-waste contribution per UVC with 1 packaging unit: fresh produce”, of 0.1231 EUR cents per UVC excl. VAT.
France: the schedule lists a further fee, “Abandoned-waste contribution per UVC with 1 packaging unit: hygiene, beauty, health and detergents”, of 0.1252 EUR cents per UVC excl. VAT.
France: the schedule lists a further fee, “Reuse financing contribution per UVC”, of 0.0140 EUR cents per UVC excl. VAT.
France: the schedule lists a further fee, “Beverage grouping film contribution per UVC”, of 0.0861 EUR cents per UVC excl. VAT.
France: the schedule describes its eco-modulation method as “percentage”.
The schedule also lists 9 other fees, which are not part of the per-kilogram estimate on this page.
The schedule describes an eco-modulation of its rates, so the fee a producer pays can be adjusted up or down from the base rates shown here.
Ways to lower the fee on a paper bag
Paper weight is the lever with the most effect: a lighter grammage lowers the mass that every fee schedule multiplies.
A plain, uncoated bag is usually read as ordinary paper, while a plastic lining or laminated window can move a bag into a different, often dearer, category.
Twisted paper handles weigh little, but cord or ribbon of another material can be reported on its own line by some programmes.
Sellers who ship in paper bags often buy them by the thousand, which makes the per-1,000 figure on this page the natural unit for comparing suppliers.
Questions sellers ask
How much is the EPR fee for a paper bag in France?
For 1,000 paper bags of the Medium (grocery bag) size, the estimated fee is €12.91 on the 2026 schedule, from the published rates that fit each component.
Is this the amount I will pay?
No. It is an estimate for the packaging alone. Registration fees, flat fee bands, eco-modulation and thresholds sit outside the per-kilogram figure. Instica prepares the data; you check, sign and submit it, and Instica never stores regulator login details.
How these figures are made
Sources
- ecd-bo.citeo.com: guide du tarif des emballages menagers 2026 retrieved
Original wording: GUIDE DU TARIF EMBALLAGES MÉNAGERS mis en marché en 2026
Original wording: Votre montant forfaitaire est de 110 € HT.
Original wording: 1 0,1482 ct € 0,1722 ct € 0,1545 ct € 0,1631 ct € 0,1231 ct € 0,1252 ct €
Original wording: Tous secteurs 0,0140 ct € 0,0050 ct €
Original wording: pour les films de regroupement des boissons, la contribution à l'UVC s'élève à 0,0861 ct € et s'ajoute à la contribution au poids.
Original wording: Leur somme est ensuite modulée par l’éco-modulation, selon vos choix d’écoconception.
Original wording: PAPIER-CARTON TARIF 3. Papier-carton 25,81 ct €/kg
Original wording: TARIF 6.4 Emballage souple PE 77,01 ct €/kg
Original wording: VERRE TARIF 5. Verre 2,01 ct €/kg
Original wording: Aluminium 24,34 ct €/kg
Original wording: ACIER TARIF 1. Acier 6,49 ct €/kg
Original wording: TARIF 6.6.1 Emballage souple PP 84,01 ct €/kg
The free plan is enough to start. We estimate and prepare; you sign and submit.