New EU Packaging Rules – What Businesses Need to Know

On 12 August 2026, the EU’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) became applicable. The Regulation replaces the previous Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive and introduces common – and, in several areas, stricter – rules for packaging across the EU. Its aim is to reduce packaging waste, increase recycling and reuse, and at the same time create more harmonised rules across the European market.

The new Regulation was introduced against a backdrop of increasing amounts of packaging and packaging waste in the EU, while requirements have previously varied between Member States. Through the PPWR, the EU aims to move towards a more circular use of packaging, with less material used from the outset and more packaging designed to be recycled or reused. The Regulation is also intended to make requirements more consistent for companies operating across several European markets.

The rules apply, in principle, to all packaging placed on the EU market, regardless of material and regardless of whether it is manufactured within the EU or imported. However, not all of the major changes take effect at once. Although the PPWR became generally applicable on 12 August 2026, several of its most extensive requirements have later deadlines. Among other things, all packaging must be recyclable in an economically viable way from 2030, while targets for reuse and recycled content, as well as certain bans on single-use packaging, will be introduced gradually. In the article below, you can read more about what this means for your business.

Greater responsibility for companies

One important change is that companies need to have better control over which packaging they use and who is responsible for it. The economic operator that places packaging or a packaged product on the EU market – for example, a manufacturer or importer – has the legal responsibility for ensuring that the relevant PPWR requirements are met. Companies therefore need to be able to obtain the necessary information and documentation from their suppliers. Suppliers, in turn, are required to provide the necessary documentation.

For packaging covered by the rules, the manufacturer must, among other things, carry out a conformity assessment, prepare technical documentation and draw up an EU declaration of conformity. The packaging must also be identifiable, for example by means of a type, batch or serial number, or an equivalent form of identification. This does not, however, mean that each individual package needs its own unique serial number – identification can, for example, be provided at batch level.

Less packaging and better recycling

A key direction of the PPWR is simply to use less packaging material. Packaging must be designed so that its weight and volume are limited to what is actually necessary to fulfil its function.

For grouped, transport and e-commerce packaging, a maximum empty-space ratio of 50% will also apply. The detailed calculation method is to be established by the European Commission by February 2028, and the requirement will apply from 2030, or three years after the relevant implementing act enters into force. There is no corresponding fixed 50% limit for standard sales packaging, but unnecessary empty space must also be minimised in such packaging.

By 2030, packaging will also have to meet new recyclability requirements. This means that companies already have reason to review their choice of materials, packaging designs and individual components. A component that cannot be recycled may adversely affect the recyclability classification of the entire package and, in some cases, mean that the packaging does not meet the requirements.

Substances of concern – requirements already apply

Some provisions, however, have had an immediate impact since 12 August 2026. These include the requirement to minimise the presence of so-called substances of concern in packaging. The requirements apply to all packaging and introduce a broader focus on the impact of substances on, among other things, human health, the environment, recycling and reuse.

Specific limit values for PFAS also apply to food-contact packaging. The requirements apply to the packaging as a whole, including, for example, printing inks, coatings, adhesives and other added materials.

Extended producer responsibility is strengthened

The PPWR also introduces strengthened and more harmonised extended producer responsibility. A producer is responsible for the waste management of packaging that the company makes available for the first time in a Member State and must, among other things, register and report to the relevant national producer register. There is no general exemption for micro-enterprises, although smaller producers may in some cases be subject to simplified reporting requirements.

In the longer term, fees under extended producer responsibility schemes will also increasingly be linked to the recyclability of packaging. This creates additional financial incentives for companies to consider materials, construction and recyclability as early as the design stage.

No need to discard existing packaging

An important clarification in the European Commission’s new guidance concerns packaging that is already in stock. Packaging that was placed on the market before 12 August 2026 may remain on the market, even if it does not comply with the new PPWR requirements.

Packaging manufactured before 12 August but not yet placed on the market does not need to be destroyed, remanufactured or relabelled either. Certain newly required information, such as identification details and the manufacturer’s name and address, may in these cases be provided in an accompanying document.

What should companies do now?

For many companies, the first step is therefore not to immediately replace all packaging, but to gain an overview and establish control. Map out which types of packaging your business uses, who is considered the manufacturer and the producer respectively under the PPWR, what documentation is available from suppliers, and which packaging may need to be changed to meet upcoming requirements.

It is also advisable to start taking into account the shift towards reduced material use, greater recyclability and increased reuse when developing new packaging. The EU’s overall objective is to reduce packaging waste per capita by 5% by 2030, 10% by 2035 and 15% by 2040, compared with 2018 levels.

The PPWR represents a major change to the rules governing packaging in the EU, but the transition will take place gradually. Some obligations have applied since August 2026, while several of the requirements that will affect the actual design of packaging will not take full effect until the coming years. For companies, the most important steps right now are therefore to understand their responsibilities, ensure access to the correct documentation and start preparing for the requirements that will apply towards 2030.

The report is the European Commission’s updated FAQ on the PPWR from August 2026 and is intended to help businesses, authorities and citizens apply the Regulation. You can download the report here.