Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)

PPWR was implemented in February 2025 and came into effect from 12 August 2026. Major changes roll out from 2026 to 2040, requiring long-term planning, an examples include making all packaging on the EU market recyclable by 2030.

Beyondly’s team of compliance, packaging and data experts are on hand to help with PPWR readiness assessments, packaging screening and analysis.

The European Commission implemented the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) in 1994 to tackle the escalating environmental impact of packaging waste and harmonise member state approaches. Packaging management across Europe is similar, with producer responsibility schemes or Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) managing packaging recycling targets – gathering packaging data from producers to determine what material ‘recycling’ needs to be driven or offset.  

Alongside the packaging producer responsibility requirements, some countries have implemented plastic taxes to reduce plastic packaging and incentivise recycled content. The most notable plastic packaging taxes for single-use plastic packaging are seen in Spain at €450 per tonne and the UK at £223.69 per tonne.   

For a lot of European nations, packaging Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) have also been a longstanding but active part of the packaging recovery system, particularly for beverage sectors, like some on-the-go juice bottles. These schemes can be effective in closed loop recycling scenario, achieving record recycling rates of over 95%.   

Packaging sorting and recyclability labelling is another area where mandatory requirements are growing. 

• France introduced the Triman, a mandatory sorting label which aims to help the consumer identify the packaging material and its designated bin.
• Italy and Bulgaria have mandated the alphanumeric material system (Decision 129/97/EC). Producers must indicate the packaging material using the relevant identification code. The system is recognised across Europe and can voluntarily be applied to packaging in all other EU member states. 
• Spain implemented a mandatory labelling system from January 1 2025. It applies to all consumer packaging and is expected to reflect Spain’s “Punto Limpio” consumer packaging disposal network. The labelling format is flexible but must inform consumers of how to dispose of their packaging – typically using a colour coding system identifying material type with the correct bin. 
• The Green Dot has not been a mandatory label since January 1 2023, with Spain being the last country to revoke the mandatory status.  

Wider regulations such as the European Union’s (EU) Single Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) also impacts packaging requirements. From July 2024, beverage containers ≤3 L with plastic caps/lids must have the cap attached during use. PET, HDPE, and composite cartons with plastic closures are in scope, and most brands have now made the switch.  

Understand the regulation and its impact on your business using our PPWR readiness assessment service. Our experts can guide you through packaging reuse, design for recyclability and recycled content.