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Use case · China

Chinese manufacturer selling direct to France: what French EPR requires

A company in China that ships products directly to French consumers, through Amazon.fr, Temu, Shein, AliExpress or its own site, is the producer in France.

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Razvan TomaBy Razvan Toma · Founder
Last updated 15 September 2026Sources linked below
Quick answer

A company in China that ships products directly to French consumers, through Amazon.fr, Temu, Shein, AliExpress or its own site, is the producer in France. It owes eco-contributions for household packaging and for every product stream its goods fall under (electronics, batteries, toys, textiles, furniture), holds one IDU per stream, and since 10 July 2026 must act through a French-established representative. Marketplaces deactivate listings without valid IDUs; French customs and ADEME cross-check registrations.

Who is the producer

Under article L. 541-10 the producer is whoever first makes the product available on the French market. For direct-to-consumer exports from China, that is the Chinese seller, not the platform and not the courier. When goods are sold to a French importer who resells them, the importer is the producer instead; this page covers direct sales.

Streams that typically apply

  • Household packaging: every shipment.
  • Electrical and electronic equipment (ecosystem or Ecologic) and batteries (Screlec, Corepile) for anything powered.
  • Textiles and shoes (Refashion), toys and furniture (Ecomaison), sports and DIY (Ecologic, Ecomaison).

What marketplaces do

Amazon.fr checks one IDU per stream in Account Health; Cdiscount, ManoMano and Fnac do the same. Temu and Shein have their own compliance programmes but the legal obligation sits with the seller. Listings without a valid number are removed.

What we do

We act as the French representative, join each eco-organisme in the seller's name, obtain the IDUs, file declarations from the sales data, and prepay eco-contributions at cost. We work in English; contracts and mandates are bilingual.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Chinese company register with Citeo directly?

Not any more in its own name: since 10 July 2026 a producer not established in France must act through a French representative, who holds the membership.

Does the Chinese exporter or the French buyer owe EPR?

For direct sales to consumers, the exporter. For sales to a French importer or distributor who resells, the French buyer.

Is one IDU enough for all products?

No. One IDU per stream: packaging, electronics, batteries, toys and so on each need their own.

Sources

Razvan Toma
Written byRazvan Toma

Founder of EPR France Rep, the France-based EPR authorised representative for companies selling into France.

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