Upcoming series: PPWR

PPWR - What this means for your packaging strategy and how to navigate the requirements: Our new article series

On 22 January 2025, the long-awaited EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) was officially published in the Official Journal of the European Union. This new regulation will come into effect on 12 August 2026, marking a major shift in how packaging is designed, managed, and regulated across the EU.

While not all obligations will apply immediately, and transition periods will be available, these will be here before we know it. If you're launching products now that will still be on the market post-deadline, it makes sense to start planning for compliance today.

Since 1994, the EU and Great Britain have operated under a packaging and packaging waste framework. Its three core goals were:

- Reduce the amount of packaging used

- Reduce packaging waste

- Limit hazardous substances in packaging

This framework—often referred to through its “essential requirements”—meant businesses had to minimise packaging, design for recyclability, and eliminate heavy metals and harmful substances.

The new PPWR doesn’t throw out the old system but it builds on it:

- It is now a regulation, not a directive. That means harmonised requirements and application across all EU member states, reducing ambiguity and improving consistency.

- It introduces stricter rules on packaging design, recyclability, and reuse.

- It will include clearer obligations for producers and stronger enforcement mechanisms.

It supports the EU’s wider Green Deal and circular economy goals, aiming for less waste, more recycling, and better use of resources.

The PPWR is not just a compliance issue but an opportunity to innovate, improve your sustainability credentials, and get ahead of your competitors!

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be introducing you to some of the key aspects of the PPWR, what this means for your packaging strategy and how to navigate the requirements.

📆 Mark your calendars as we release these insightful articles every Wednesday!