UK businesses have taken to Google in their droves this week as they get ready for new reporting requirements and reforms to cut packaging waste, according to environmental compliance data experts Ecoveritas.

Data from the search engine giant shows a 334% week-on-week spike in Extended Producer Responsibility-related searches.

Google Trends, which analyses a sample of Google web searches to determine how many searches were done over a certain period, shows that interest grew from a rating of 15 for the week ending February 25 to 100 for the week in which new data reporting requirements came into force.

The guidance page for UK organisations looking to prepare for extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging is also showing a 30% uptick in traffic, with leading environmental compliance experts Ecoveritas, too, reporting a 44% increase in visitors to its online hub ecoveritas.com

"It is good to see EPR take another significant step forward with the introduction of the reporting requirements for the producers of packaging," said Head of Sustainability Consulting, Kathy Illingworth.

"Ecoveritas continues to have so many new conversations with people looking to future-proof their business. Hopefully, we will see more tangible progress towards mitigating risk, making data-based decisions, and improving on sustainability targets soon.

"Businesses need a modern and flexible range of partners who can support them on the journey and advise them as they go through it. Needs can change over time, but those core processes of bringing things together to make better decisions will always be important."

Reporting requirements for the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for packaging came into force on Tuesday, February 28.

From February 28, all obligated packaging producers in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland must collect information on the amount and type of packaging they have supplied during 2023, with Wales following later in March 2023.

Producers with a turnover of greater than £2 million and who handle more than 50 tonnes of packaging each year must also report this information to the Environment Agency twice a year.

The first report must be submitted by October 1, 2023 (For the period January to June 2023).

Those seeking more information on EPR in the UK are being urged to visit ecoveritas.com or speak to one of our expert advisors today on +44 (0)1865 721375.