Frequently asked questions

The owners of Näringslivets Producentansvar are the five industry organisations DLF Sweden, Swedish Food Retailers Federation, Swedish Trade Federation, the Swedish Brewers Association and the Spirit and Wine Suppliers Association.

Näringslivets Producentansvar do not distribute any profits – our focus is that you as a customer should receive as much as possible for your packaging fee.

Näringslivets Producentansvar is a producer responsibility organisation that helps you as a producer of packaging to take your producer responsibility.

In the ordinace on producer responsibility for packaging, Chapter 8, Section 2, the following definition serves as the basis for reporting packaging for private use:

“In this chapter, packaging intended for private use refers to packaging normally used by private individuals or intended for use by both private individuals and businesses.”

An example of packaging considered intended for private use is a one-liter milk carton. Whether the milk carton is purchased and used by employees at a company or used by private individuals, it is considered packaging intended for private use. However, a larger milk carton (e.g., 10 liters) is not considered packaging intended for private use. This is because it is assumed to be intended for use by a business (e.g., in large kitchens or other restaurant operations) and not by private individuals.

Producer responsibility is a statutory obligation. Producer responsibility is based on the Polluter Pays Principle (PPP). If your company introduces packaging to the Swedish market, you, as the producer, have a legal and financial responsibility for the collection and recycling of the packaging. Producer responsibility is the foundation of the collection and recycling system for packaging in Sweden.

The basic idea behind producer responsibility is to reduce the amount of waste, but also to ensure that any waste that is generated is recycled and used to make new products.

Yes. You are an obligated packaging producer regardless of whether the product or packaging is from an EU or non-EU country.

Your company has producer responsibility if you:

• Fill or otherwise use a packaging (to protect, present or facilitate the handling and transport of an item)
• Bring a packaged item to Sweden
• Manufacture a packaging in Sweden (service packaging)
• Bring a packaging to Sweden (service packaging)
• From a country other than Sweden, sell a packaged product or a packaging to an end user in Sweden.

The fees are based on the packaging’s net cost for collection and processing. The fees are used to reimburse the municipalities for their costs for the collection of packaging waste from households and co-located businesses that have chosen municipal collection, as well as for the municipality’s information efforts in accordance with the packaging regulation. The principle is that each type of material should bear its own costs, with no cross-subsidization between the categories. All types of materials are handled on a competitive-neutral basis. Näringslivets Producentansvar does not distribute any profit to its owners – what you pay is used to increase recycling in Sweden.

If you manufacture or import packaging that is not service packaging, these must be reported by the filler (your customers). You only report the packaging you fill yourself and the packaging in which your imported goods are shipped.

Read more about service packaging in chapter 2.2. of Näringslivets Producentansvar’s Instructions.

Clear labels on packaging make it easier for consumers to sort packaging for recycling. By using the Swedish Waste Management’s labeling system, it becomes easy to source-separate the packaging because the same symbols are found at the municipality’s recycling stations, recycling centers and in recycling rooms. Incorrectly sorted waste compromises the quality of the material, which could mean that the facility won’t accept it and it will have to be incinerated instead of recycled.

No. In order to avoid that all stores, catering services, restaurants, pizzerias, hot dog stands, pastry shops, laundries, growers, berry pickers, egg producers and more should become affiliated to us because they provide a point-of-sale packaging, special conditions are applied, in accordance with current legislation. These packages are filled at the time of sale and are called service packaging. Common for them is that they are reported by the packaging manufacturer or importer. For other packaging, it is always the filler that has the producer responsibility and must report the packaging.

The easiest way to find out if your wood packaging is part of a market-driven system for reuse is to check the intended use with your supplier. Ensure whether you have bought a brand new pallet or if it has been in use before, since it affects if you should report it or not. Note that it’s you who buys and uses the pallet who is responsible for reporting it, not the supplier.

See the Swedish EPA:S definition of market-driven systems for reuse (in Swedish only)

Find which market-driven systems for reuse that are registered with the Swedish EPA (In Swedish only)

For handling of wood pallets and similar, there are established systems for packaging intended for multiple use, so called market-driven systems for reuse. This is where you as a producer need to be extra observant.

The concept of market-driven systems for reuse was introduced in the new ordinance that was decided on by the Swedish government in 2022. It refers to systems that can ensure that a packaging makes several rotations during its life cycle and that it can be recycled when it becomes waste. These systems must also be registered with the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.

These kinds of rotation systems are common for pallets, where the packaging is reused until its fully consumed. There are also pallets that are made for single-use, for this reason it’s important that you know which type of pallet you’re using in order for the report to be correct.

Just like with any other packaging, you first need to determine whether your packaging should be reported as private use or other than private use. Wood boxes for cheese or wine and such, is reported as 7110 – Wood packaging single-use, private use.

Wood pallets that are part of a market-driven system for reuse is only reported the first time they are put on the market, as 7215 – Wood packaging in systems for reuse, other than private use. It is only wood packaging that are intended for reuse that should be reported as wood packaging in systems for reuse. This regards most often wood pallets, cable drums and such, and they are only reported the first time they are put on the market.

What counts as packaging is governed by the ordinance on producer responsibility for packaging. A packaging is defined as a single-use article or other product that has been produced to:

• contain,
• protect,
• present,
• deliver or in other way handle a product.

Examples of usual wood packaging are boxes for cheese or wine, pallets and cable drums.