From today (12 August 2026), new measures under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) apply across the European Union, aiming to promote a circular economy and strengthen the Single Market for packaging.

The PPWR aims to reduce the packaging industry’s environmental impact and Europe’s dependence on imported fossil fuels, used in the production of plastic packaging for food and beverages and other consumer goods.

It also aims to better support cross-border businesses through common rules and support the EU’s transition to a circular economy and climate neutrality by 2050. A circular economy will keep valuable materials in use for longer and increase the recovery and use of secondary raw materials, reducing pressures associated with resource extraction and waste generation.

Some measures come into effect today, while a series of additional rules will come into place gradually. From 2028, a harmonised labelling system for packaging will apply across the EU to facilitate waste sorting, aiming to increase efficiency in recycling and composting waste streams.

The majority of the PPWR rules will become applicable as of 2030, including measures to reduce the generation of packaging waste including new limits on empty space, reuse targets or very small single-use packaging plastic formats used by foodservice and hospitality organisations.

The mandatory use of recycled plastic waste in new plastic packaging, and the requirement for all packaging to be recyclable, will also come into effect in 2030.

New limits on forever chemicals

Today’s general entry into application includes restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food-contact packaging. Food packaging that contains PFAS above strict limits can no longer be placed on the EU market, aiming to reduce exposure to what are commonly referred to as ‘forever chemicals’ – persistent, synthetic chemical substances that accumulate in the natural environment and human body, with harmful impacts on environmental ecosystems and human health.

They have been widely used across various food packaging formats including takeaway containers, food wrappers and bakery paper due to their useful water and grease repelling properties.

From today, food-contact packaging is restricted to a limit of 25 parts per billion (ppb) for any individual PFAS measured using targeted PFAS analysis, with polymeric PFAS excluded; 250ppb for the sum of PFAS measured by targeted analysis, with polymeric PFAS excluded; and 50 parts per million (ppm) for total PFAS, including polymeric PFAS.

Where total fluorine exceeds 50mg per kg of packaging, manufacturers may also be required to provide information on the quantity attributable to PFAS or non-PFAS substances.

A recent piece from Baking Europe, a publication under the FoodBev Media portfolio, explores the new PFAS regulations in detail, highlighting their impact for the industrial baking industry. Assessing presence of PFAS across food packaging and manufacturing processes, navigating testing complexities associated with high-risk materials, and ensuring transparency with suppliers will be key to ensuring compliance for the broader food manufacturing industry, including the bakery sector.

Harmonised regulation framework

Among the changes coming into effect, certain definitions – for example, for manufacturers responsible for extended producer responsibility (EPR) of packaging – will be harmonised across EU member states.

It will be mandatory for certain markings and information to be included on packaging, including detail of the packaging type and the manufacturer, so that manufacturers and importers can be identified and contacted where required to ensure compliance. Producers, including brands and importers placing packaging on the EU market for the first time, must pay EPR fees for the packaging’s collection, sorting and recycling.

Horst Bittermann, director general of European carton and cartonboard manufacturers association Pro Carton, said: “This is a significant, welcomed step forward and harmonised EU-wide packaging regulation for the benefit of the circular economy is fully supported”.

“However, the PPWR also calls on member states to reduce packaging waste. While the objective is right, packaging that is successfully collected and recycled is not waste as it is given a second life as a valuable raw material. Only packaging that is not recycled should count as waste.”

Bittermann said that reducing packaging volumes without this distinction risks less protection for products and food, potentially resulting in more food waste and product damage.

“Our industry has consistently shown its ability to innovate, and it will continue to develop solutions to meet PPWR requirements and consumer demand for sustainable packaging,” he added.

Erkam Narinç, senior policy and regulatory affairs manager at Finnish renewable packaging company Stora Enso, commented on how ensuring the correct legal role allocation will be “fundamental” amid the PPWR’s new rules on traceability and EPR.

“In particular, the legal manufacturer is not always the company that physically produces the packaging,” he noted. “Incorrect assumptions can create compliance gaps, unnecessary duplication and confusion over who is responsible for the documentation needed to demonstrate conformity.”

Narinç said the priority should be to map packaging flows, assign the relevant legal roles and establish reliable information channels across the supply chain.

“Suppliers need to provide the information required to support compliance, while statutory manufacturers remain responsible for demonstrating the conformity of the packaging they place on the market,” he added. “Businesses that establish clear responsibilities and information flows now will be much better positioned for the more demanding requirements that follow towards 2030.”

Coffee capsules become packaging

Re-Alu, the recycling alliance for small aluminium packaging in Europe, noted the significance of today’s measures for coffee capsule producers – coffee and beverage system single-serve units disposed of together with their contents are now defined as packaging under the PPWR, and must be integrated into national packaging waste management systems. Previously, they were considered product and were not obliged to be covered by collection, recycling and EPR systems across the EU.

The organisation is calling on member states, Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) and municipalities to ensure aluminium coffee capsules are accepted in household collection systems, supported by clear consumer sorting instructions, in addition to effective recovery at sorting plants and being sent to appropriate recycling facilities.

“Some European countries are already successfully collecting, sorting and recycling aluminium coffee capsules, showing it is very feasible to be included in the household packaging collection,” said Michel Steinecke, manager of recycling projects at Re-Alu.

“Therefore, several other national schemes which still need to make significant progress can benefit from those front-runners. We believe that fair and sufficient EPR fees must play an essential role in financing the infrastructure and systems needed to support this transition across Europe.”

“We expect that the correct and timely implementation of the PPWR will improve recycling rates for coffee capsules and other small aluminium packaging.”

Looking ahead

The European Commission stated that without action, packaging waste in the EU has been projected to grow by 19% by 2030, while plastic packaging waste specifically could rise by as much as 46%.

It said that work to put forward the gradual secondary legislation will be carried out ‘swiftly,’ working closely with national authorities, industry and civil society to ensure it is effective and does not create ‘unnecessary administrative burden’.

Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for environment, water resilience and a competitive circular economy, said: “The new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation is an investment in Europe’s future: it will help reduce waste, increase recycling, make food-contact packaging safer for the consumers by limiting harmful substances such as PFAS, and reduce our dependence on virgin raw materials. These are essential steps towards a truly circular economy.”

“At the same time, the regulation will replace fragmented national rules difficult to navigate for economic operators in the internal market. But new rules also come with adjustment costs, and we have worked intensively with market operators to implement the new rules in a pragmatic and unbureaucratic way."