12 Feb 2025 PPWR: EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation Enters into Force

On 11 February 2025, Regulation (EU) 2025/40 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 on packaging and packaging waste, known asPPWR, officially came into force. The text was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 22 January 2025 and will apply from 12 August 2026, after a transitional period for adaptation.

The PPWR introduces clear, uniform, and directly applicable criteria across all Member States for the design, use, and management of packaging, aiming to reduce environmental impact and promote a sustainable and circular model. The rules cover the entire lifecycle of packaging and encourage reuse, recycling, and more efficient resource management through concrete measures and objectives, including reducing packaging waste, promoting reuse systems, improving recyclability, and increasing the content of recycled materials.

PPWR goals

The new Regulation is based on three strategic pillars, with progressive and binding objectives over time, essential for supporting environmental sustainability and the conservation of natural resources:

• REDUCE – Reducing packaging waste

The Regulation sets binding EU-wide targets for the reduction of packaging waste: -5% by 2030, -10% by 2035, and -15% by 2040 compared to 2018 levels. To achieve these targets, measures focus on reducing packaging weight and volume, limiting unnecessary packaging, and optimizing empty space, leaving Member States to define the most appropriate measures.

The goal is to reduce waste generation through materials and designs that minimize the packaging used.

• REUSE – Promoting reuse

The Regulation promotes the adoption of reusable packaging and refill systems, with progressive and differentiated targets for specific packaging categories, such as transport packaging and certain beverage containers. Reusable packaging must be designed to withstand multiple normal use cycles and supported by effective return systems, with gradual targets applied based on the type of packaging from 2030 onwards.

The goal is to encourage the adoption of reusable packaging and practices that extend its useful life.

• RECYCLE – Recyclability and recycled content

The Regulation reinforces the principle that all packaging placed on the EU market must be recyclable according to common criteria by 2030, and subsequently demonstrate recyclability on a large scale. For plastic packaging, minimum mandatory recycled content percentages are required, which will increase progressively over time and vary depending on the type and use of the packaging.

The goal is to promote recycling, increase the proportion of recycled packaging, and support separate collection and treatment of recyclable materials.

Key Features Introduced by the PPWR

The PPWR introduces key measures to reduce packaging waste and promote more sustainable practices in the sector, with important consequences and implications. The main points of the new Regulation include:

• Mandatory Recyclability: by 2030, all packaging placed on the EU market must be recyclable according to harmonized criteria. In later phases, packaging must also demonstrate large-scale recyclability, encouraging the adoption of materials and design solutions that facilitate collection, sorting, and recycling.
• Minimum Recycled Material Content: for certain types of packaging, particularly plastic, the Regulation sets minimum mandatory percentages of recycled content, which will increase progressively and vary by type and use of packaging.
• Restrictions on Unnecessary Packaging: the PPWR provides for a progressive reduction of unnecessary packaging, promoting solutions that avoid excessive or non-functional components relative to product protection and distribution.
• Reduction of Packaging Weight and Volume: by 2030, producers or importers must ensure packaging is designed to minimize weight and volume, also limiting excessive empty space, while maintaining product safety and preservation.
• Prohibitions on Single-Use Packaging: the Regulation introduces targeted bans for specific single-use plastic packaging, including packaging for fresh, unprocessed fruit and vegetables, food and beverages consumed in bars and restaurants, and certain small single-use packaging in the hospitality sector.
• Deposit Return Scheme (DRS): the Regulation requires the introduction of deposit return systems for certain packaging types to improve separate collection and recycling rates.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): the Regulation reinforces the principle of extended producer responsibility, making producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of packaging, including collection, treatment, and recycling costs.
• Elimination of Dangerous Substances: the PPWR introduces stricter restrictions on the use of harmful substances in packaging, with specific limits and a gradual reduction of their presence, also considering health protection and recyclability.
• Labelling and Transparency: labels must provide clear and harmonized information on packaging recyclability and recycled content, improving transparency and facilitating proper disposal by consumers.

 

The use of paper or film labels containing recycled material, as well as reducing label thickness through materials designed to be thinner than traditional standards, can contribute to developing packaging that complies with the Regulation.

Additionally, adopting sustainable labels that promote recycling, contain recycled material, and minimize overall resource use can also positively impact EPR-related costs.

 

Article updated on 29 January 2026.