compliance teamHow French packaging contributions are calculated in 2026
Step 1
Count annual units
Step 2
Pick the product family
Step 3
Apply the published scale
Step 4
Review modulation with the pack
| Control | Evidence to retain |
|---|---|
| Scope | Entity, product, channel, scheme and source |
| External action | Version, date, authorised filer and issued receipt |
| Maintenance | Source data, approval, invoice and next deadline |
The French unit is the consumer sales unit, not the kilogram
A consumer sales unit is one packaged product sold to a final consumer. Published French scales set an amount per unit for each product family and add a weight-based component in the detailed mode, which makes counting orders more useful than weighing cartons for a first estimate.
The scales also publish two columns per family: one without and one with the shipment packaging used for retail, take-away or distance sales. Cross-border e-commerce normally sits in the second, which is often two to four times the first.
Caps and minimums decide the bill for small sellers
The published 2026 Léko scale caps the simplified declaration amount at €150 excluding VAT below 20,000 consumer sales units a year and sets a minimum annual billing amount of €95 excluding VAT. Above 500,000 units the simplified scale stops applying and a detailed declaration by material and weight is required.
Those figures belong to that scale and can change. Another approved eco-organisation publishes different amounts for the same stream, which is exactly why the comparison in the previous article matters.
Eco-modulation is a design question, not a rounding error
Bonuses and penalties apply on published criteria such as recyclability, recycled content and disruptive elements. They are applied by the eco-organisation on the declared characteristics, not by a calculator.
Our estimate deliberately shows the unmodulated amount and says so. Presenting a bonus you have not yet earned as a saving would be a forecast, not information.
Conclusion
Scope comes before a form. Connect the legal entity, product, sales channel and EPR stream to the rule that actually applies.
Evidence must remain traceable. Keep source data, versions, approvals, filings, receipts and every record issued by an external body.
Third-party decisions are never guaranteed. Eco-organisations, the public register and marketplaces control their own procedures, timing and decisions.