European packaging legislation is changing dramatically. With the arrival of the PPWR, companies are required to rethink their packaging. But what exactly does the PPWR involve, when does it take effect, and what should you as a company already be doing?
What is the PPWR?
The PPWR, short for Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, is a new European regulation that replaces the old packaging directive from 1994. Where the old directive mainly focused on waste processing after the fact, the PPWR addresses the entire lifecycle of packaging: from design to processing.
The regulation applies to every company that produces, uses, imports or places packaging on the European market. Whether you operate in food, retail, e-commerce, logistics or pharma: the PPWR affects you.
What are the main requirements of the PPWR?
The PPWR sets concrete requirements in four areas:
1. Recyclability: by 2030, 100% of all packaging placed on the European market must be recyclable. Packaging that is not currently recyclable will need to be redesigned.
2. Recycled content: depending on the material and application, a minimum percentage of the packaging must consist of recycled material. The strictest requirements apply to plastic packaging.
3. Ban on unnecessary packaging: superfluous layers, oversized boxes and packaging that only serves appearance are prohibited. The PPWR sets minimum requirements for the ratio between packaging and product.
4. Reporting obligation: companies must be able to demonstrate that they meet the stated requirements. That requires insight into your packaging use, materials and supplier chain.
When does the PPWR take effect?
The PPWR was adopted by the European Parliament in 2024 and enters into force in phases starting in 2025. Most obligations apply in full from 2030, but a number of requirements take effect earlier. Companies that do nothing now will fall behind and risk fines.
Which sectors will be most affected by the PPWR?
Practically every company that packages something will be affected by the new legislation, but a number of sectors are hit especially hard.
Food and retail face strict requirements for food packaging, particularly around plastic and recyclability. E-commerce is confronted with a ban on oversized boxes and unnecessary filling material. Agriculture and horticulture must take into account the recyclability of film, crates and containers. Pharma and healthcare face stricter material requirements, including for packaging currently treated as an exception. Warehousing and logistics are seeing new requirements for pallet film, strapping and transport packaging.
What are the risks if you do nothing?
Companies that are not compliant in time risk fines from national regulators, problems with import and export within the EU, reputational damage with customers and buyers who factor in sustainability, and exclusion from tenders where PPWR compliance is a hard requirement.
How do you become PPWR compliant?
The first step is an analysis of your current packaging. What materials do you use? Are they recyclable? Do they meet the minimum requirements for recycled material? Based on that, you map out what needs to change and create a concrete action plan.
At RE-PACKED, we guide this process from A to Z: from analysis and advice to implementation and sourcing from certified European manufacturers, directly and without unnecessary middlemen.
Free PPWR compliance check
Want to know if your packaging meets the PPWR? Request a free compliance check from RE-PACKED. We analyze your current situation and give you a concrete overview of what needs to change, with no obligations.
