The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation

Packaging must be provided with a harmonised label for material composition to facilitate sorting for consumers

• Based on pictograms and be easily understandable
• Exempt are transport packaging (unless it is e-commerce packaging), or packaging covered by deposit and return systems (provided with a clear label, which can be national and possibly colour-coded)

Reusable packaging must be provided with a label informing users that the packaging is reusable

• Additional information about reusability, reuse systems, etc., must be available through a QR code
• Reusable sales packaging must also be clearly identified and separated from one-way packaging at the point of sale

From 2030, only packaging that is recyclable may be placed on the market.

Recyclable packaging must:

• Be designed for material recycling, so that the resulting secondary raw materials can replace primary raw materials
• Be able to be collected and sorted separately without affecting the recycling of other waste streams
• Be able to be recycled on a large scale using current methods

Classification of the packaging's recyclability is done according to performance class A, B, or C.

From 2030, businesses that use reusable packaging must be connected to a recycling system with incentives and documentation.

Stores over 400 m² must strive to allocate 10% of the area to refill stations starting from 2030.

Reuse targets: A number of reuse targets aimed at particularly transport packaging, e-commerce, and beverages will be introduced from 2030 and increased in 2040.

Certain types of packaging (e.g. labels on fruits and vegetables) must be compostable under industrial conditions by February 12, 2028:

• Member states may require home compostability where relevant
• Other biodegradable materials must instead be designed for material recycling – not composting
• The Commission is developing harmonized EU standards for compostability and documentation

Biobased plastics will be reassessed by the Commission by 2028 – with the possibility of new requirements and targets for sustainability and use:

• Biobased materials may in certain cases replace recycled plastic – e.g. for food contact, where recycling technologies are insufficient

The content must be derived from plastic waste from the consumption stage, per packaging type and format as addressed in Annex II, Table 1, calculated as an average per factory and year.

Min. content as of January 1, 2030* / (January 1, 2040):

• 30 % / (50 %) for contact-sensitive packaging made of PET (except single-use plastic bottles for beverages)
• 10 % / (25 %) for contact-sensitive packaging made of other types of plastic than PET (except single-use plastic bottles)
• 30 % / (65 %) for single-use plastic bottles for beverages
• 35 % / (65 %) for other plastic packaging

• From 2030, all packaging must be designed with the least possible material and volume – without compromising on functionality or protection.
• Max. 50% empty space allowed in transport, grouped packaging, and e-commerce packaging.
• Traders who fill sales packaging must ensure that empty space is reduced to the minimum necessary to ensure the functionality of the packaging, including product protection.

Overpackaging is limited by:

• Unnecessary elements such as false bottoms, double walls, and extra layers are prohibited – with few exceptions (e.g., protected designs before 2025).
• Packaging must not appear larger than necessary to promote the perceived value of the product.
• Space filled with fillers such as bubble wrap, foam, etc. counts as empty space.

From January 1, 2030, selected single-use formats (cf. Appendix V) may no longer be put on the market, for example:

• One-way packaging in the accommodation sector intended for individual reservations
• Packaging for fruits and vegetables, mini-packages for hotels, etc.
• Single-use plastic packaging for flavorings, canned goods, sauces, coffee cream, sugar, and spices in the HORECA sector
• Grouped packaging of single-use plastic, for example: collateral film, shrink film
• Single-use plastic packaging, for example: trays, single-use plates and cups, bags, boxes

Micro-enterprises may be granted exemptions for certain formats due to technical impossibility.

• From February 12, 2027, takeaway companies must offer the option for refills in the customer's own container (applicable to both drinks and food)
• From February 12, 2028, companies must also offer reusable packaging as an alternative to single-use packaging – as part of a reuse system
• Consumers must be offered the same price and terms as when purchasing with single-use packaging
• Clear information at the point of sale must be provided about the possibility for refills and reusable packaging
• Micro-enterprises are exempt from the requirement for reuse offers
• From 2030, final distributors should strive for at least 10% of takeaway products to be offered in reusable packaging