Lighter packaging in paper or cardboard costs the least: on Léko's 2026 tariff, paper and cardboard is charged 25.50 cents per kilogram, common plastics 73.70 to 80.40, and packaging containing PVC 201.00. Reducing weight or empty space can also earn an 8% bonus. Below 500,000 units a year you may use the simplified per-unit tariff instead, and then the material does not change the bill.Sources (2)
LékoLéko — Barème Emballages ménagers & Papiers 2026 (14 Nov 2025)
LégifranceLégifrance — Code de l'environnement
How the contribution is built
Léko's 2026 tariff has two modes. The detailed declaration lists weights by material and is mandatory above 500,000 consumer sales units a year. The simplified declaration counts units per product family and is open to everyone below that level. Material choices change the bill in the detailed mode. Each eco-organisme publishes its own tariff; the figures here are Léko's.
What each material costs
| Material | Cents per kilogram |
|---|---|
| Glass | 2.00 |
| Steel | 6.45 |
| Aluminium | 24.30 |
| Paper and cardboard; wood, cork | 25.50 |
| Beverage carton | 46.75 |
| Clear PET bottle | 67.00 |
| Rigid or flexible PE, rigid PP | 73.70 |
| Flexible PP, rigid PET other than bottles | 80.40 |
| Complex plastics and other resins | 134.00 |
| Packaging containing PVC | 201.00 |
Bonuses and penalties
- Source-reduction bonus, 8%: for reducing weight with the same material and function, reducing the number of packaging units, offering refills, or reducing empty space.
- Renewable-resources bonus, 4%: for packaging made mostly from bio-based wood or plastic, on the tariff's conditions.
- First-level penalties, up to 25%: for example 10% for single-use packaging where a standard reusable one is available in sufficient quantity for the same product category.
- 50% penalties are listed for certain plastic bottles and rigid plastics that disrupt recycling.
Packaging that carries a penalty cannot receive bonuses, apart from the bonus for recycled content.
Four choices that reduce the bill
- Paper or cardboard instead of plastic for mailers, tape and filling.
- No PVC and no multi-material plastics. They carry the highest rates.
- A box that fits the product. Less weight, less empty space, and a possible bonus.
- Fewer separate pieces of packaging per product.
When it makes no difference
On the simplified tariff you pay per unit by product family, whatever the packaging is made of. The minimum annual invoice is €95 excluding VAT, and a declaration of fewer than 20,000 units is capped at €150. A small seller therefore pays the same for a paper mailer as for a plastic one. See how to count your units and estimate your own figure in the calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
Founder of EPR France Rep, the France-based EPR authorised representative for companies selling into France.
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