Household packaging definition: how EPR rules use the term
Last verified
household packaging means: Packaging that ends up with households rather than businesses. In Belgium, a company that puts household packaging on the market has to report on it to the government. The Instica dataset lists household packaging in 4 jurisdictions, including Belgium, Austria, France.
What does household packaging mean?
This is the definition Instica uses for household packaging in its EPR dataset. The wording below is checked against the source named beside it.
household packaging: Packaging that ends up with households rather than businesses. In Belgium, a company that puts household packaging on the market has to report on it to the government. (Source: fostplus.be, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Original wording
Does your company put household packaging on the market? Then you have an obligation to report on this packaging to the government.Source: fostplus.be
What is household packaging called in other languages?
Packaging producers search for household packaging in their own language and under the name their national scheme uses. The dataset records 4 local terms, each with the home analogy a reader of that language already knows.
| Language | Local term | Also called | Closest home analogy |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | household packaging | – | – |
| German | Haushaltsverpackungen | – | – |
| French | emballages ménagers | – | – |
| Spanish | envases domésticos | – | – |
- German — Local definition
- In Österreich Verpackungen, die typischerweise in privaten Haushalten anfallen; das Gesetz teilt sie in Sammel- und Tarifkategorien ein.
- French — Local definition
- En France, les emballages des produits destinés aux ménages; Citeo publie le guide du tarif des emballages ménagers mis en marché en 2026.
- Spanish — Local definition
- En España, los envases de productos de consumo doméstico; Ecoembes publica sus precios para ellos por separado de los envases comerciales.
Where does household packaging apply?
household packaging appears in the rules of 4 jurisdictions in the dataset. The table gives the duty and the regulator for each; the sections after it list every sourced rule.
| Jurisdiction | Producer duty | Regulator | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | Yes | Interregional Packaging Commission (IVC-CIE, now EPRiBEL) | verified Sep 29, 2026 |
| Austria | Yes | Not yet published | verified Nov 4, 2026 |
| France | Yes | Not yet published | verified Nov 4, 2026 |
| Spain | Yes | Ministry for the Ecological Transition (MITECO), Directorate-General for Environmental Quality and Assessment | verified Sep 29, 2026 |
Belgium: the rules behind the term
5 sourced rules for Belgium. Each statement names its source and the date Instica retrieved it, and a rule without a primary source shows as not yet published.
In Belgium, packaging producer duties rest on Belgian interregional Cooperation Agreement on packaging waste, in force in its current version since 5 March 2020; enforced by the Interregional Packaging Commission (IRPC/IVC-CIE) (Source: valipac.academy, retrieved September 29, 2026).
The regulator named for Belgium is Interregional Packaging Commission (IVC-CIE, now EPRiBEL) (Source: valipac.academy, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Producers that place packaging on the market in Belgium carry a producer responsibility duty (Source: fostplus.be, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Belgium organises producer duties through more than one producer responsibility organisation: Fost Plus (household), Valipac (industrial) (Source: fostplus.be, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Producers must register in Belgium; the registry is EPRiBEL producer register (formerly IVC-CIE); Fost Plus registers members collectively (Source: fostplus.be, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Original wording
The new version of the Cooperation Agreement has been in force since 5 March 2020.Source: valipac.academy
Austria: the rules behind the term
5 sourced rules for Austria. Each statement names its source and the date Instica retrieved it, and a rule without a primary source shows as not yet published.
Austria organises producer duties through more than one producer responsibility organisation: Altstoff Recycling Austria AG (ARA) (Source: ris.bka.gv.at, retrieved September 29, 2026).
In Austria, a reporting deadline falls within three months after each calendar year (by 31 March), covering preceding calendar year (Source: ogd.ris.bka.gv.at, retrieved November 4, 2026).
Austria lists 1 penalty rule, the first for Non-participation in a system contrary to AWG 13g(2) to (4) (administrative offence) of €450 to €8,400 per offence (Source: ris.bka.gv.at, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Austria sets 2 recycling targets, the first on share of household packaging mass to be collected separately, per system total at paper 80%, glass 80%, ferrous 65%, aluminium 65%, plastics 80%, beverage cartons 80% from 2025 (Source: ris.bka.gv.at, retrieved September 29, 2026).
In Austria, revenue tests use none (Source: ris.bka.gv.at, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Original wording
Bevollmächtigte ist eine natürliche oder juristische Person mit Sitz im Inland.Source: ris.bka.gv.at
France: the rules behind the term
5 sourced rules for France. Each statement names its source and the date Instica retrieved it, and a rule without a primary source shows as not yet published.
Producers that place packaging on the market in France carry a producer responsibility duty (Source: citeo.com, retrieved September 29, 2026).
In France, a deadline of another kind falls on August 12, 2026 (Source: eur-lex.europa.eu, retrieved September 29, 2026).
In France, a registration deadline falls on August 12, 2026 (Source: eur-lex.europa.eu, retrieved September 29, 2026).
In France, a reporting deadline falls 1 June each year, for the preceding full calendar year (Source: eur-lex.europa.eu, retrieved September 29, 2026).
France lists 2 penalty rules, the first for Producer not meeting its extended producer responsibility obligations of up to €7,500 per unit or tonne of product placed on the market (Source: ecologie.gouv.fr, retrieved November 4, 2026).
Original wording
A company which puts packaging and/or graphic papers on the marketSource: citeo.com
Spain: the rules behind the term
5 sourced rules for Spain. Each statement names its source and the date Instica retrieved it, and a rule without a primary source shows as not yet published.
In Spain, a packaging weight threshold applies: 15 tonnes per year (packaging placed on the market); it reduces the duty (Source: boe.es, retrieved September 29, 2026).
In Spain, a reporting deadline falls every June 1, covering previous full calendar year (Source: eur-lex.europa.eu, retrieved September 29, 2026).
In Spain, a deadline of another kind falls on August 12, 2026 (Source: eur-lex.europa.eu, retrieved September 29, 2026).
In Spain, a reporting deadline falls every March 31, covering previous calendar year (Source: boe.es, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Spain lists 3 penalty rules, the first for very serious infringement of €100,001 to €3,500,000 per infringement (Source: boe.es, retrieved September 29, 2026).
Original wording
menos de 15 toneladas de envases al añoSource: boe.es
Which Instica pages use household packaging?
These 4 jurisdiction pages put household packaging into practice, with thresholds, deadlines and fees for each.
More questions
What does household packaging mean?
household packaging means: Packaging that ends up with households rather than businesses. In Belgium, a company that puts household packaging on the market has to report on it to the government. It applies in Belgium, Austria, France and more.
How to read these figures
Sources
- eur-lex.europa.eu (2025) (40 / oj) retrieved
Original wording: a quantity of packaging, including packaging of packaged products, of less than 10 tonnes during one calendar year
Original wording: of Annex IX to the competent authority responsible for the register, by 1 June for each full preceding calendar year.
Original wording: It shall apply from 12 August 2026.
Original wording: by 31 December 2030, a minimum of 70 % by weight of all packaging waste generated
- eur-lex.europa.eu (2025) (oj / eng) retrieved
Original wording: It shall apply from 12 August 2026.
Original wording: shall appoint, by written mandate, an authorised representative for the extended producer responsibility in each Member State where
Original wording: by 1 June for each full preceding calendar year
- filieres-rep.ademe.fr retrieved
Original wording: Objectifs de recyclage Matériaux 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 Acier 78 % 80 % 81 % 82 % 83 % 84 %
- ogd.ris.bka.gv.at retrieved
Original wording: spätestens drei Monate nach Ablauf jedes Kalenderjahres für das vorangegangene Kalenderjahr elektronisch im Wege des Registers zu übermitteln
- valipac.academy retrieved
Original wording: The new version of the Cooperation Agreement has been in force since 5 March 2020.
Original wording: The Interregional Packaging Commission is responsible for the enforcement of the Cooperation Agreement.
Original wording: For household plastic packaging, the rates must be 65% in 2023 and 70% in 2030.
- boe.es (2022) (buscar / act) retrieved
Original wording: se crea la sección de envases en el Registro de Productores de Productos
Original wording: a través de la Dirección General de Calidad y Evaluación Ambiental
Original wording: se obliga a todos los envasadores a inscribirse y a remitir anualmente información
Original wording: deberán designar a una persona física o jurídica en territorio español como representante autorizado
Original wording: se inscribirán en la sección de envases del Registro de Productores de Productos
Original wording: menos de 15 toneladas de envases al año
Original wording: antes del 31 de marzo del año siguiente
- boe.es (2022) (buscar / act) retrieved
Original wording: Multa desde 100.001 euros hasta 3.500.000 euros
- citeo.com retrieved (not yet published)
Original wording: A company which puts packaging and/or graphic papers on the market
- ecologie.gouv.fr retrieved
Original wording: une amende qui peut atteindre jusqu'à 7 500 € par unité ou tonne de produit mis sur le marché
- fostplus.be (ppwr insights 8 mandatory registration in producer register fost plus handles it for you) retrieved
Original wording: This representative must (1) be established in Belgium and (2) be registered with EPRiBEL.
Original wording: Companies that are not members of Fost Plus or another recognised EPR organisation can register directly through EPRiBEL
- fostplus.be (become a fost plus member) retrieved
Original wording: Does your company put household packaging on the market? Then you have an obligation to report on this packaging to the government.
Original wording: companies that put at least 300 tonnes of single-use packaging on the market annually
- fostplus.be (declaration) retrieved
Original wording: You do not pay any contribution for reusable packaging in your declaration.
Original wording: The deadline for the annual declaration is always 28 February for the packaging that you put on the market the previous year.
Original wording: Exceptionally, you can still amend your 2025 declaration until 15 September this year.
Original wording: you risk a fine amounting to 1% of the contribution from your previous declaration per month of delay
Original wording: Depending on the declaration system that you choose, the rates are applied per kg or per unit.
- ris.bka.gv.at (2000-2086) retrieved
Original wording: Versandhändler, die keinen Sitz und keine Niederlassung im örtlichen Geltungsbereich dieses Bundesgesetzes haben
Original wording: Versandhändler
Original wording: Geldstrafe von 450 € bis 8 400 €
- ris.bka.gv.at (GeltendeFassung.wxe) retrieved
Original wording: haben für ab dem 1. Jänner 2023 in Österreich in Verkehr gesetzte Verpackungen einen Bevollmächtigten
Original wording: Bevollmächtigte ist eine natürliche oder juristische Person mit Sitz im Inland.
Original wording: Registrierung als Bevollmächtigter im Register gemäß § 22 Abs. 1 AWG 2002 unter Angabe
Original wording: nicht mehr als 1500 kg Haushaltsverpackungen in Verkehr setzen, können pauschale Lösungen angeboten werden
Original wording: nicht mehr als 1500 kg gewerbliche Verpackungen in Verkehr setzen, können pauschale Lösungen angeboten werden
Original wording: binnen zwei Monaten
Original wording: spätestens bis zum 15. März des darauffolgenden Jahres
Original wording: haben für ab dem 1. Jänner 2023 in Österreich in Verkehr gesetzte Verpackungen einen Bevollmächtigten für ausländische Versandhändler zu bestellen
Original wording: Eisenmetalle 50% 60% 65% 75% Aluminium 65% 75% Kunststoffe 60% 75% 80% 85%
Original wording: nicht mehr als 1500 kg Haushaltsverpackungen
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