PPWR – a revolution in packaging. What does the new regulation mean for businesses?

The PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation), which covers packaging and packaging waste, is one of the most significant regulatory changes of recent years in the field of the environment and waste management. The new rules, adopted as Regulation (EU) 2025/40, will come into force on 12 August 2026 and will apply directly in all Member States of the European Union.

This means that businesses have a relatively limited amount of time to prepare for the new requirements – in practice, this is a transition period lasting a few months, during which companies should carry out a packaging audit, implement design changes and adapt their documentation processes and cooperation with suppliers.

For businesses, this means one thing: the end of ‘local interpretations’ and the beginning of a uniform, European packaging management system.

What is the new regulation and why was it introduced?

The PPWR replaces the previous Packaging Directive 94/62/EC, which regulated the packaging market in the EU for over 30 years. The key difference lies in the legal form – the regulation is directly applicable, without the need for transposition into national law.

The new rules cover the entire life cycle of packaging – from design, through production and use, to recycling or reuse. The main aim of the regulation is to reduce the negative impact of packaging on the environment and to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

Who is affected by the PPWR?

The scope of the regulation is very broad. The PPWR covers virtually all entities involved in the supply chain, including:

• packaging manufacturers,
• importers,
• distributors,
• companies that package products,
• retailers (including e-commerce).

Importantly, the regulation applies to all types of packaging, regardless of material or sector. This means that almost every company placing a product on the EU market will be subject to the new obligations.

Scope and obligations under the PPWR

The PPWR Regulation introduces a comprehensive set of requirements covering the entire life cycle of packaging. One of the key areas of change is the obligation to ensure that packaging is recyclable – from 2030, all packaging must meet specific design criteria, and from 2038, a minimum ‘grade B’ recycling efficiency level will be required.

Another key element of the regulation is the reduction of excessive material consumption by minimising the volume and weight of packaging and eliminating so-called ‘empty space’, which particularly affects the e-commerce and transport sectors.

The PPWR also promotes solutions based on reuse, introducing requirements regarding the minimum number of packaging usage cycles and the standardisation of return and re-circulation systems.

Another key area of change is the gradual increase in the proportion of recycled content in plastic packaging, with rising requirements extending to the year 2040, as well as the elimination of hazardous substances, such as PFAS, from packaging that comes into contact with food.

In addition, the regulation harmonises the rules on packaging labelling and waste sorting systems, which is intended to make it easier for consumers to manage their waste correctly and to increase the efficiency of the entire recycling system.