Valpak is the UK's largest packaging compliance scheme, now part of the Reconomy group. They handle Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for thousands of producers across packaging, electricals, batteries and textiles.
They run as a managed scheme. You send your data, and Valpak takes care of registration, reporting and the paperwork behind it, backed by a product database of more than 65 million stock-keeping units (SKUs).
That done-for-you model is exactly why some producers compare Valpak alternatives. A managed UK scheme is one good option, but not the only one. Some producers want software they run themselves, pricing they can see up front, or reach well beyond the UK core.
The strongest Valpak alternatives are Repax, Ecosurety, Ecoveritas, Lorax EPI, Recyda and ecosistant.
They fall into two groups:
- Other managed UK schemes that do the work for you.
- Software platforms you use across markets.
Managed scheme or software platform
Almost every Valpak alternative sits in one of two groups, and naming them makes the choice much simpler.
The first group is other managed UK schemes. Like Valpak, they take your packaging data and handle the compliance for you. They are the natural like-for-like if you just want a different provider doing the same job.
The second group is software platforms. You keep the workflow in-house, spec your products once, and generate each market's report from that data.
Six Valpak alternatives in detail
Each option below is measured against Valpak as the benchmark. We lead with Repax, then work through the other five.
1. Repax
Repax is the option we would point most producers to. We take a different route from a managed scheme, because our software is something your own team runs.
You spec each product once, with its packaging, weights and materials, and Repax generates the report for every market from that single source. We cover more than 30 EPR categories worldwide, across packaging, batteries, electronics and textiles, and we are EU-hosted.
Repax is also our own product, so we lead with it, though we are straight about where each rival wins.
Two parts are live today. Core is the data warehouse that turns your product data into filings, and Declare produces EU Declarations of Conformity for packaging suppliers.
A third part, Comply, for multi-market scheme management, is on the way for 2026.
Unlike Valpak, the pricing is public. Core starts free, then Growth at €29 a month and Pro at €59 a month, billed monthly with no commitment.
Choose it over Valpak if you would rather run compliance in-house, spec a product once and file into many markets from it, with pricing you can see up front.
2. Ecosurety
Ecosurety is the closest like-for-like to Valpak. They are another established UK compliance scheme, with more than 20 years handling packaging obligations from their Bristol base.
They cover UK packaging EPR, the plastic packaging tax and deposit return schemes. They add international support for the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), batteries, WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) and textiles.
Like Valpak, they run a managed service, so you hand over the data and they take care of the compliance. Pricing is not published, so you request a quote.
Choose it over Valpak if you want a long-established UK scheme with strong plastic-tax and deposit-return support on a managed service.
3. Ecoveritas
Ecoveritas is a UK environmental data specialist. Their pitch is less about filing for you and more about getting your packaging data right and acting on it.
They run obligation assessment, data collection and calculation, registration and reporting, with analytics on top, holding more than 2 million SKUs of packaging metrics. Their focus is UK EPR and the EU PPWR, with expertise across more than 30 countries.
The strength is data depth and fee accuracy. If you suspect you are over-reporting or overpaying, a data-first specialist can be worth it. Pricing is quote-based, like Valpak.
Choose it over Valpak if your priority is deep packaging-data analysis and tighter fees, handled for you, across the UK and a growing set of EU markets.
4. Lorax EPI
Lorax EPI is the enterprise end of the software platforms, built for producers filing into many countries at once.
Their ENVI platform covers more than 200 schemes and pairs the software with obligation assessment, data screening, registration services and fee modelling. Where Valpak is anchored in the UK, they are built for breadth across many jurisdictions.
They are sold sales-led, with no public pricing, and they suit bigger compliance teams rather than a single-market filer. Some other providers even run on their data engine.
Choose it over Valpak if you file into many countries at once and want one enterprise platform spanning more than 200 schemes.
5. Recyda
Recyda is German software that treats recyclability and packaging design as part of compliance, not just the filing.
They assess packaging against national and international standards including the PPWR, calculate EPR fees across more than 20 countries with submission-ready reports, and help manage PPWR Declarations of Conformity and technical documentation.
That makes them a strong fit if you want to improve packaging and stay ahead of the PPWR, not only report last year's numbers. Pricing is arranged after a demo rather than published.
Choose it over Valpak if recyclability and PPWR readiness across the EU matter as much as the filing, in software rather than a UK scheme.
6. ecosistant
ecosistant is the most self-serve option here, aimed at smaller sellers shipping across Europe.
They cover packaging, WEEE and batteries, textiles and furniture across up to 30 European countries, with a dashboard you manage yourself and optional consulting or a premium tier with an account manager.
Their clearest advantage over Valpak is transparent, low pricing. Plans start from €24.90 per country, so a smaller producer can see the cost and get going without a sales call.
Choose it over Valpak if you are a smaller seller shipping across Europe and want per-country pricing you can start on your own.
Which alternative fits your compliance setup
The right Valpak alternative comes down to how far your obligations reach and how much you want to run yourself.
- If you are UK-only and want it handled for you, stay in the managed-scheme group. Ecosurety is the closest match to Valpak, and Ecoveritas is the pick if data quality and fee accuracy are your main worry.
- If you sell beyond the UK, software platforms travel better than a UK-anchored scheme. Repax fits most producers, Lorax EPI suits large teams filing into many countries, and Recyda is strong when recyclability matters as much as the report.
- If you are a smaller seller, ecosistant's per-country pricing or Repax's free tier let you start without a sales call.
- For most producers, our pick is Repax. Holding your product data once and generating each market's filing from it scales from a free plan to full multi-market compliance, and you keep the workflow in-house.
Valpak is still a solid choice if you would rather a UK scheme did the work for you.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to what producers most often ask about Valpak and the alternatives.
Is Valpak any good?
Yes. Valpak is the UK's largest packaging compliance scheme, with one of the biggest packaging-data sets in the country at more than 65 million SKUs, covering packaging, WEEE, batteries and textiles. Producers look elsewhere for a different model or clearer pricing, not because the scheme is weak.
Is there a cheaper or free alternative to Valpak?
Yes. Repax starts free, with public paid plans from €29 a month, and ecosistant starts from €24.90 per country. Both let you see the price and start without a sales call. Valpak, like most UK schemes, is sales-led with no public pricing, so you request a quote.
What is the best alternative to Valpak?
For most producers, Repax. You spec a product once and generate each scheme's filing from it across more than 30 EPR categories, as a workflow your team runs rather than a service you hand over. If you want another managed UK scheme like Valpak, Ecosurety is the closest like-for-like.
What is the difference between Valpak and Repax?
Valpak is a managed UK scheme, so you send your data and they handle registration and reporting. Repax is software your team runs product-data-first, so you spec a product once and generate any market's report from it. Core and Declare are live today, with Comply on the way.
When is an alternative a better fit than Valpak?
When your needs go beyond UK packaging handled for you. If you sell into several countries, want to run the workflow in-house, or want open pricing, software such as Repax usually fits better. If you are UK-focused and happy with a done-for-you scheme, Valpak or Ecosurety may be all you need.
