New Packaging Regulation
February 07, 2025
The EU has adopted the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which aims to significantly reduce the generation of packaging waste.
What packaging is covered?
All packaging, regardless of the material used and regardless of whether it is produced by industry or households.
Whom does it concern?
Almost everyone in the supply chain. It regulates the obligations of packaging producers, packaging importers, packaging distributors, including final distributors, but also logistics service providers.
What does the Regulation address?
It will no longer be possible to place packaging on the EU market that does not comply with the conditions set out in the Regulation:
- all packaging must be recyclable. Recyclability shall be assessed according to the criteria set out in the Commission delegated acts and shall be expressed in recyclability grades A, B or C,
- plastic packaging must have a minimum percentage of recycled content of at least 30% for single-use plastic beverage bottles or other plastic packaging from 2030 and at least 65% from 2040,
- weight and volume of packaging must be reduced to a minimum (prohibition of double walls, false bottoms, etc.),
- products must include information on material composition, recycled content and compostability so that consumers can sort them,
- waste receptacles must be clearly marked with harmonised markings to enable separate collection,
- the maximum empty space of transport packaging may be 50 %
- restrictions on use of single-use plastic packaging are extended, for example in the HORECA sector,
- final distributors who make beverages available to consumers in consumer packaging must ensure that at least 10% of these products are made available in reusable packaging, at least 40% of products from 2040,
- take-away restaurants must allow consumers to bring their own containers.
Targets for Member States:
- packaging waste generated per capita must be reduced, as compared to 2018, by 5% by 2030, 10% by 2035 and 15% by 2040,
- At least 65% of the weight of all packaging waste must be recycled by the end of 2025 and at least 70% by the end of 2030.
Since when does the Regulation apply?
The Regulation enters into force on 11 February 2025 and will apply from 12 August 2026. Individual obligations will come into force at different times, also depending on the date of adoption of delegated acts.