Groups and subsidiaries: how to create your file for extended producer responsibility
Source: gov.uk (2025-08-22)

Guidance and a template for a parent company to add multiple subsidiaries to an extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging online account

If your company needs to add multiple subsidiaries to an EPR for packaging account, you can use this CSV template.

You must have an EPR for packaging online account to use this template. Find out more about EPR for packaging (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/extended-producer-responsibility-for-packaging-report-packaging-data).

You can also create your own CSV files, but do not change the structure shown in the template.

Make sure that:
- the headers are identical to those in the template
- your spreadsheet software saves it as a CSV - you will not be able to upload other kinds of spreadsheet file, for example Excel’s .xls or .xlsx formats
Find out more about CSV files (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-csv-file-format). The guidance about CSV files is aimed at government employees, but the sections from ‘Setting up your CSV file’ onwards contain useful general information.

How to complete the file

Put the parent company on one row. Leave the ‘subsidiary_id’ column blank on this row.

Underneath that, put each subsidiary you wish to add to that parent on a new row.

Complete the first 5 columns for each subsidiary where possible. There are 2 exceptions:
- the ‘subsidiary_id’ column should be blank if this subsidiary has not been submitted before
- only use the final column ‘franchisee_licensee_tenant’ if the subsidiary is one of these - otherwise, leave it blank
If you are a compliance scheme uploading subsidiaries for multiple parent organisations, repeat for each parent with a subsidiary or subsidiaries. You can upload all parents and subsidiaries in one file or can separate into multiple uploads.

You only need to add a subsidiary once. You do not need to include it in any files you use to add further subsidiaries in future.

The example file shows you how to complete the CSV.

Column names and details

organisation_id

The identification number assigned to the parent organisation when they created an account. This is 6 figures long. Do not include any spaces. Use on every line for that parent and any of its subsidiaries.

subsidiary_id

The identification number that the parent company assigned to its subsidiary in previous data submissions.

Use the same unique ID for a subsidiary across all packaging and organisation data submissions. If the group has not reported the subsidiary before, leave blank. Leave blank on the parent company line.

organisation_name

The name of the parent on its line or of the subsidiary on its line, exactly as it appears in its Companies House record, including correct use of capitals and small letters.

companies_house_number

The Companies House number of the parent on its line or of the subsidiary on its line.

Give the full 8 digits. If there are leading zeroes, include them. Add ‘ at the start if you are using Excel or similar spreadsheet software, for example ‘00123456. This forces it to include the zeroes.

parent_child

Either ‘Parent’ or ‘Child’. Make sure it has an initial capital letter.

franchisee_licensee_tenant

Enter ‘Y’ if the child entity is a franchisee, licensee or tenant.

There is more information on franchisees, licensees and tenants in the ‘agreed positions and technical interpretations’ guidance, produced by the environmental regulators. This can be found on the National Packaging Waste Database (https://npwd.environment-agency.gov.uk/Public/Guidance.aspx?CategoryId=41fc1dbb-47a2-47fd-bb82-4938d83729e0&ReturnUrl=%2FPublic%2FNewsAndGuidance.aspx%3FReturnUrlId%3D64c793b7-1cf6-ed11-9f3b-98f2b327e115).

nation_code

Mandatory.

Must be one of:
- EN (for England)
- SC (for Scotland)
- NI (for Northern Ireland)
- WS (for Wales)