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Follow the steps for completing your report and quickly find vital information pertaining to your business sector.

No place of business in Quebec?

You can report your containers, packaging, and printed paper on a voluntary basis, instead of having your retailers or distributors do it. Be sure to let them know so that the same materials aren’t reported twice.

You can fill out the voluntary producer request form here.

1) Gather your information

Before you file a report, you need to inventory all the containers, packaging, and printed paper that your company markets. Next, you need to identify and classify the materials that are used in these items.

Here are some useful resources and guidelines to streamline the process.

Our materials guide provides real-life examples for each material to be classified and information on possible markets, plus ecodesign tips. It’s your go-to report reference, so keep it nearby throughout the process.

Consult our guide

This glossary provides definitions of the concepts and terms you need to know to complete your inventory and correctly classify your materials.

Read it over before you start filling out your report.

CPP sold as products

CPP stands for “containers, packaging, and printed paper.” CPP materials sold as products are purchased by consumers to contain, package, or protect other products or, in the case of printed paper, to write or print text or images.

Here are a few examples:

  • Containers and packaging sold as products: aluminum foil, paper plates, resealable sandwich bags
  • Printed paper sold as products: notepads, printing paper, greeting cards

Deductions for packaging taken back on delivery (furniture)

Companies that deliver goods and bring the packaging back to their premises can deduct this packaging* from the generated material quantities in their report. This packaging is not left with the ultimate consumer.

*The methodology used to calculate this deduction must be specified in the “Methodology” section of the reporting portal.

Primary packaging

Primary packaging contains the product being sold and comes into direct contact with the product. For example, the primary packaging for toothpaste is the tube.

Secondary packaging

This is a second level of packaging. Using the same example as above, the secondary packaging for toothpaste is the box that contains the tube. For products sold by unit, this type of packaging is mainly used to provide consumers with product information.

Secondary packaging can also be used to group multiple products into a single unit for purchase. The plastic film that wraps three units of toothpaste together, for instance, is considered secondary packaging. All such packaging must be reported if sold to consumers.

Tertiary packaging

This is the third level of packaging, i.e., materials used for shipping and handling, such as crates, cardboard dividers, shrink wrap to secure products on a pallet.

Exclusion of CPPs meant for industrial, commercial, and institutional use

Containers, packaging, and printed paper meant for industrial, commercial, and institutional use are excluded from the calculation of the producer’s financial contribution and do not have to be reported.

*Changes to come in 2025.

Exclusion for shipping packaging

Containers and other packaging designed to facilitate the shipping and handling of multiple sales units or grouped packages, and which are not left with consumers, are excluded from the contribution calculation. They do not need to be reported.

Long-life packaging exclusion (5 years)

Long-life packaging or container are designed to accompany, protect, or store products throughout their lifetime, such as puzzle and game boxes* and the cases used to store certain tools.

*Note: If the box is wrapped in plastic, this packaging must be reported.

Exemption for containers and packaging covered by another extended producer responsibility program

Containers, packaging, or printed paper already covered by a deposit system recognized by law in Quebec, or by any other recovery and reclamation program based on the principle of extended producer responsibility (EPR) [Maillage vers la page du site qui explique la REP], are not subject to a contribution payment. However, any container or packaging that accompanies these products must be reported, e.g., the cardboard box that holds returnable bottles.

Visit the Consignaction website for more information.

Brand

Generally speaking, a brand is used to help a product or service stand out. Trademarks are a common example.

Name

The name under which the business operates, whether it is a corporation, a partnership, or an individual.

Distinguishing guise

This is a company or organization’s distinctive way of wrapping or packaging its products to make them easily recognizable.

Indirect sales

Indirect sales refer to any products that are shipped to a retailer’s distribution centre located outside Quebec (e.g., in Ontario) and are eventually sent back to Quebec for resale by the retailer in its stores located in the province.

This table will help you classify the main types of products used in your business sector.

Television/Computer monitor/Dishwasher/Wine fridge/Furniture/Tools/OtherClass
Polystyrene corner protectorsProtective expanded polystyrene
Protective plastic film and plastic bagsHDPE and LDPE plastic film
Plastic strappingOther plastics
Wire tiesPlastic laminates
Instruction or warranty manualsOther printed paper
Frozen pizzaClass
BoxCorrugated cardboard, boxboard, and other paper packaging
Plastic packagingHDPE and LDPE plastic film
TrayCorrugated cardboard or paper laminates
ShoesClass
BoxCorrugated cardboard, boxboard, and other paper packaging
PaperKraft paper packaging
LabelBoxboard and other paper packaging
Label clipOther plastics
Cough drops/Antiallergy medicationsClass
BoxBoxboard and other paper packaging
Shell packagingPlastic laminates

Determining the class for your containers, packaging, and printed paper isn’t always straightforward: How should you classify the product cap, label, or lid, for example?

Find the answer in our materials guide.

2) Compile your data in a file

  1. List all products sold during the reference year.
  2. Determine who is responsible for each product:
    • Your report must include all containers, packaging, and printed paper used for your private brands, as well as for products for which you are considered the first supplier in Quebec.
    • Report any containers, packaging, or printed paper accompanying products for which you own the name, trademark, or distinguishing guise.
    • If you manufacture products for which you do not own the trademark, do not include them in your report. The trademark owner is responsible for reporting them.
  3. Identify the components of each product you are responsible for. For example, for aluminum foil packaging:
    • Weight of the box, including the sealing tab
    • Weight of the spool
    • The aluminum foil itself is designated as a CPP material (see next point)
  4. Please note that containers, packaging, and printed paper sold as products (CPP products) are covered under this program and must be reported by your company, if applicable. For example:
    • Aluminum pie plates
    • Plastic wine glasses
    • Polystyrene (or Styrofoam) plates
    • HDPE/LDPE (plastic) film
    • Aluminum foil, parchment paper, waxed paper
  5. Include all secondary and tertiary packaging that is left with the consumer. (e.g., plastic wrap surrounding a multipack of water bottles and its tray)
  6. If you have a store, include all materials added at the point of sale. For example:
    • Cash register receipts, invoices
    • Shopping bags, prescription bags
    • Gift wrap, etc.
  7. Include all marketing-related printed paper, if applicable. For example:
    • Flyers and catalogues
    • Inserts, promotional booklets
  8. List all containers, packaging, and printed paper used for online orders. For example:
    • Shipping boxes
    • Protective envelopes
  9. List product giveaways gifted at special or promotional events.
  10. Indicate the data sources used to prepare your reports, e.g., real unit weight determined manually or provided by the manufacturer, supplier, or printer.

Some materials do not have to be reported, and others can be deducted from your contributions.

  • Shipping packaging not left with the consumer
  • Containers, packaging, and printed paper taken back on home delivery
  • Returned merchandise that is:
    • recalled
    • expired
    • damaged and cannot be sold to a consumer
    • not distributed
  • All containers, packaging, and printed paper used or recovered internally, which is not sold or distributed
  • Containers and packaging for industrial, commercial, or institutional end users (changes coming in 2025)
  • All returnable containers (e.g., soft drinks). Please note the following:
    • All containers or secondary packaging accompanying these products must be reported (e.g., a cardboard box that contains returnable bottles).
    • Some containers and packaging included in the producer financial contribution will soon become part of the expanded deposit system. Until the expanded deposit system is fully operational, containers and packaging covered by the expansion must be reported separately in the reporting portal. A list of these materials is available in our materials guide.

3) Enter your methodology online

Send us your information via the “Methodology” tab of the reporting portal.

  • Describe the methodology used to collect data for your report.
  • Mention any changes since the last report.
  • Explain any significant variances between the quantities stated on your current and previous reports. For example:
    • An increase or decrease in sales (%)
    • Brand acquisitions or sales
    • New measures implemented
    • New product launches
    • A reduction in packaging

How to avoid mistakes

We tend to see the same kinds of errors in manufacturers’ reports. Here are the most common mistakes and what you can do to avoid them.

Examples

  • Calculation errors
  • Conversion errors (litres, kilograms, pounds, etc.)
  • Errors when calculating the number of units in grouped packs
  • Failing to include subtotals in a total, or including them twice
  • Failing to remove containers, packaging, and printed paper which come with products manufactured for private labels
  • Data entered incorrectly, with too many or too few digits, or with the decimal point in the wrong place

Tips

  • Have your data validated by an external third party, by the internal audit team, or by someone other than the reporting individual.
  • Protect the cells containing formulas in your Excel calculation file.
  • Filter similar products to detect any weight differences. This will help you spot inadvertent errors, such as a decimal point or comma where there shouldn’t be one.
  • Update the weights of your containers, packaging, and printed paper every three or four years.
  • Be extra careful with multipacks – they are a frequent source of errors in calculation files. For example, if you sell consumers a case of 24 water bottles grouped in a cardboard box, the report must include not only the box, but also 24 times the weight of a single plastic bottle. Errors are even more common in cases of grouped multipacks. For example, if a case contains four 6-packs of bottles wrapped in plastic film, the report must include one cardboard box (if intended to the consumer), four overwraps, and 24 bottles.
  • Deductions for packaging that will not be left at consumers’ residences
  • Undocumented deductions that aren’t backed by quantitative data

Tips

  • Obtain quantitative, verifiable data to support your deductions (sales reports, third-party studies, etc.). This data must be available on request for verification purposes.
  • Ensure that deductions for all eligible materials are allowed under the rules and that you have sufficient supporting documentation to back them up.

To develop your methodology and obtain data to calculate a deduction, contact Éco Entreprises Québec. We can validate your information before you invest your resources.

Additional information

A company must report all products sold directly or indirectly to Quebec consumers.

This error is often due to the source of certain data, particularly data on units sold. Many of the reports used are based on the shipping province and include quantities shipped to the retailer’s distribution centres located in the same province.

When a product is sent to a retailer’s distribution centre, the retailer sometimes ships it to another province. When this happens, the manufacturer is still responsible for reporting its products in the province where they are sold.

Tips

  • Assess the possibility of some customers (retailers) selling your products in other provinces.
  • Obtain information on products sold in Quebec by retailers whose distribution centres are located outside Quebec, for inclusion in your reports.
  • Exclude units sold outside Quebec but delivered to a Quebec distribution centre.
  • Consult the fact sheet developed by ÉEQ on calculating interprovincial sales.

Additional information

Companies must report all containers, packaging, and printed paper associated with products for which they are the brand owner or first supplier in Quebec.

The first supplier is the first to take title, possession, or control of printed paper or a product whose container or packaging is covered under the program.

If a company distributes products sold under a brand owned by another company with a store in Quebec, they are not considered the first supplier.

Tips

  • List all your suppliers.
  • Remove all suppliers with a Quebec address from this list.
  • If in doubt, check the company’s status on the Registraire des entreprises du Québec or contact Producer Services at Éco Entreprises Québec.
  • Consult the “List of expected companies” available in the “Report History” section of the ECO-D reporting portal. If the company that manufactures the brand you distribute appears on this list, you are not responsible for reporting the materials generated by these products.

Additional information

For reporting purposes, every detachable component of your packaging must be reported separately and classified by its material.

The number of units may vary for each component of a given package.

Tips

  • Consult our materials guide.
  • Ask your materials suppliers, who usually know the type of materials you use.
  • If you are unsure, confirm the type of material with Éco Entreprises Québec Producer Services.
  • Classify your materials using our tools, and consult the experts at Éco Entreprises Québec for complex cases.

Examples and additional information

Companies must report all advertising materials that are intended for consumers and bear their logo or distinguishing guise, whether or not they printed the materials (e.g., distribution by Publisac or by mail).

Print ads placed in newpapers or magazines do not need to be reported. They are the publisher's responsibility.

Tips

  • Confirm the type of paper and quantities purchased from your printers.
  • If you are unsure, contact Éco Entreprises Québec Producer Services.
  • Deduct advertising materials that are stored and kept in your establishments.
  • Do not report business-to-business advertising materials.
  • Deduct coupons that were taken back by stores or returned by consumers.

Additional information

When a Quebec consumer places an order online, you must report the product’s containers, packaging, and printed paper, as well as all shipping materials (if not part of the product itself).

This means that you have to report the cardboard boxes and shipping envelopes you mail out to the consumer.

Tips

  • Obtain data on consumer sales through your e-commerce platform.
  • Weigh your typical shipping packages to determine the quantities generated based on the quantities used.

Additional information

When you sell a container covered by other regulations, you must still report the product’s secondary packaging where applicable, as these are not usually covered by the other regulations.

Tips

  • Returnable containers: Secondary packaging used for returnable containers must be reported (e.g., plastic six-pack rings used for beer or soft-drink packs.
  • Paints, oils, and antifreeze: Secondary containers must be reported (e.g., cardboard boxes used to transport multiple containers).
  • Compact fluorescent bulbs, batteries, and electronics: Product containers and packaging must be reported.

Ready to file your report?

Get started on our online portal.
Go to the portal.

See also