Managed service, software, or compliance scheme: which do you actually need?
There are three main ways to meet your EPR obligations. You can use a compliance scheme, run the work yourself on EPR software, or hand the data work to a managed service. They aren't mutually exclusive, and many producers use more than one. In every case, the legal responsibility for accurate data stays with you, the producer.
Ecoveritas operates no compliance scheme, holds no PRN book, and has no waste contract. We have no financial interest in which scheme you use.
How the three options compare
What you get
Scheme membership that meets your recycling obligations and handles registration-related admin
Who does the data work
Mostly you. The scheme generally works from the data you supply
Expertise included
Regulatory guidance, varying by scheme
Data checking
Limited, as the scheme relies on what you submit
Supplier data collection
Not usually included
Multi-country coverage
Usually one country per scheme
Typical cost model
Membership fee plus recycling obligation costs
Best for
Every obligated UK producer that needs to meet recycling obligations
Why this distinction matters
The three models have different incentives. A compliance scheme earns more when you place more tonnage through it. Software earns the same whether your data is right or wrong. A managed service earns on the accuracy of the submission itself.
None of that makes any of them dishonest. It does mean you should know which one you're buying.
Where each one wins
If you want your obligation placed and discharged with minimal involvement, a scheme is the simplest route. If you have a large in-house compliance team and want tooling rather than people, software is cheaper. If your data is messy, sits across multiple systems, or you suspect you're overpaying, a managed service is the only one of the three that will go and find out.
Compliance Scheme ; Software ; Managed Services
Compliance scheme
Software
Managed service
Which is Ecoveritas?
Ecoveritas is a managed service, delivered on our own technology. It is not a compliance scheme, and not just software.
Our specialists do the data work: collecting supplier data, calculating material weights, applying the rules and preparing submission-ready returns. That work runs on our own platforms. EcoHub structures and validates your packaging data. EcoView turns it into analysis of costs, materials and suppliers.
In the UK, we work alongside compliance schemes rather than replacing them. Our UK compliance offer is delivered with Veolia. Schemes handle membership and recycling obligations, while we make sure the data underneath is accurate.
We have more than 25 years in compliance and sustainability data. We process over 32,000 supplier data requests a year, hold packaging metrics for more than 4 million SKUs, and manage EPR reporting in over 80 countries.
Not sure which option fits? Tell us about your packaging, your markets and how your data is managed today. We'll tell you honestly what you need.