Overview

Amazon is revamping its Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Pay on Behalf service for sellers operating in the United Kingdom, Spain, and France. The new framework takes effect on 27 January 2025 and replaces three separate country‑specific policies with a single, harmonized set of rules. Sellers who rely on Amazon to remit eco‑contribution fees must understand the impact on cash flow, fee timing, and data sharing obligations.

Key Points

• Unified policy — The former UK, Spanish, and French EPR guidelines are merged into one document, giving sellers a single reference point for compliance across all three markets.
• Fee reserves — Amazon may now hold a portion of a seller’s proceeds in reserve to guarantee timely payment of eco‑contributions, similar to existing holds for A‑to‑Z claims.
• Retroactive adjustments — Regulators can change contribution rates after a reporting period ends, and Amazon is authorized to apply those changes to sellers’ accounts retroactively.
• Compulsory data sharing — Product details, sales volumes, and packaging information will be automatically forwarded to the relevant environmental agencies; sellers cannot opt out while enrolled in the service.

How the Revised EPR Pay on Behalf Service Works

1. Policy consolidation — When a seller enrolls, Amazon applies the single EPR policy to all orders shipped to the UK, Spain, and France. For example, a UK‑based seller who previously consulted three PDFs now follows one set of rules stored in Seller Central.
2. Reserve calculation — Amazon calculates a reserve amount based on the seller’s recent sales volume and product category. A seller of plastic‑packed cosmetics selling €50,000 worth of units in a month might see a 5 % reserve (€2,500) held until the end of the next reporting cycle.
3. Charge timing and retroactivity — Standard EPR fees are deducted during the regular monthly settlement, but Amazon can also issue additional charges outside that window. If French regulators raise the recycling fee for cardboard packaging in March, sellers will receive a retroactive invoice in April covering the March sales.