EPR Case Study – Right-Sizing for a Leading UK Retailer

How Caps Cases Helped a Leading UK Retailer Cut Packaging Weight by 23.8%

A leading UK retailer partnered with Caps Cases to review its corrugated packaging in response to new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements.

By right-sizing a key pack format, we reduced material usage by 23.8% while also eliminating the need for void fill — delivering immediate EPR, cost and sustainability benefits.

The starting point

The project focused on a branded corrugated shipper used for retail and e-commerce, with a reporting period volume of 104,538 boxes.

Across that period, the original packaging used a total of 44,606.37 kg of corrugated board. On average, each box contained around 427g of corrugated material and also required additional void fill to protect the contents in transit.

With EPR placing greater emphasis on accurate packaging data and the volume of material placed on the market, the retailer wanted to reduce total tonnage without compromising product protection or brand presentation.

The challenge

The retailer needed to:

• Reduce packaging weight without affecting product protection

• Eliminate void fill to simplify packing and remove a material stream from EPR reporting

• Improve data quality for EPR submissions using accurate, verified weights
  

Our approach

Caps Cases’ design and technical teams carried out a full packaging review, focusing on:

• Right-sizing the shipper to better match product dimensions

• Optimising board grade and flute profile to maintain strength with less material

• Redesigning internal dimensions to remove the need for loose void fill materials

The result was a new pack design that maintained the required transit performance while using significantly less board.

The results

The project delivered a 23.8% reduction in pack weight.

Weight reduction

• Original total weight: 44,606.37 kg

• New total weight: 33,990.05 kg

• Material saved: 10,616 kg per reporting period

That is a saving of more than 10.6 tonnes of corrugated board.

Per-box saving

• Before: 427g per box

• After: 325g per box

• Saving: 102g per box
  

Void fill eliminated

The redesigned pack removed the need for any additional void fill, which delivered further benefits:

• Less packaging placed on the market

• A simpler packing process

• Fewer SKUs to manage
  

EPR and reporting benefits

The packaging redesign also created clear EPR advantages:

• Lower overall packaging tonnage improves the retailer’s EPR position

• Clean, verified weight data supports more accurate EPR reporting

• Clear evidence of active packaging optimisation and waste reduction
  

Best advice from Caps Cases

Design for right-size fit

Right-sizing is more important than ever.

Over-engineered or over-sized packs increase material usage, transport costs and EPR liability. Smarter packaging design can often protect products more effectively while using less material.

Make sure your data is accurate

Work from verified pack weights and specifications so your EPR data reflects reality.

Accurate information is the foundation for compliance, cost control and continuous improvement.

Looking to reduce your packaging impact?

If you want to see how Caps Cases can help reduce your packaging usage, improve efficiency and support your EPR goals, contact us today.

If you want, I can also turn this into a more polished case study style version with a stronger intro and pull-out stats for the top of the blog.