A guide for manufacturing and trading companies that want to adapt in time to the new requirements
From 2026, a new era begins for packaging in the European Union. The new Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste, also known as the PPWR, changes the rules of the game for all businesses that package their products and place them on the market. Whether this is a small food producer or a medium-sized company in cosmetics, chemicals, household goods or beverages, the new framework directly affects how packaging is selected, designed and used.
The Regulation gradually replaces the earlier Directive 94/62/EC and introduces uniform rules across the European Union. This means fewer differences from one country to another and greater clarity for businesses operating in more than one market. At the same time, it also means greater responsibility for producers to check early whether their packaging can meet the new requirements.
The objectives of the new legislation
The main objective of the PPWR is simple: to reduce packaging waste and make packaging more suitable for recycling and the circular economy. In other words, Europe wants less material waste, less rubbish and more reuse and recycling.
In practical terms, this means that packaging will no longer be assessed only on whether it protects the product well or looks attractive on the shelf, but also on how easily it can be recycled, whether it is excessively heavy or complex, and whether it contains materials that make sorting and processing more difficult.
The Regulation also focuses on reducing unnecessary material. Packaging that uses more material than needed, without a real functional purpose, will come under greater pressure. The same applies to solutions that may look impressive but in practice make recycling more difficult.
Another important objective is to increase the use of recycled materials, where this is technically feasible and provided for in the Regulation. Gradually, certain packaging categories will have to include a higher share of recycled content. This will affect sectors that use plastic packaging in particular, but not only those.
Finally, the new framework aims to make correct waste sorting by consumers clearer. For this reason, harmonised EU-wide labelling is being promoted, so that citizens can more easily see how and where each part of packaging should be discarded.
What changes for businesses using packaging, and what steps they should take
For small and medium-sized manufacturing and trading businesses, the message is clear: packaging will no longer be a matter handled only by the printer or the plastic supplier. The business placing the product on the market must know exactly what it uses and whether it is ready for the new requirements.
First of all, businesses should review all their packaging: primary, secondary and tertiary. They should check whether there is unnecessary material, whether the packaging can be simplified, whether its recyclability can be improved, and whether there are material combinations that make sorting more difficult.
Next, it is very important to ask suppliers for technical documentation. This means not only price and delivery time, but also the necessary compliance information: material specifications, declarations of conformity, information on suitability for use, data on composition and, where possible, information on recyclability. This concerns plastic manufacturers, tinplate manufacturers, paper mills, packaging and label printers, and every other link in the chain.
A second critical point is labelling. The new European rules will introduce more uniform guidance on how packaging is marked, so that consumers know how to dispose of it correctly. The exact form of the symbols will be specified in later acts of the European Commission. Therefore, there is no need for panic or immediate replacement of all labels. However, businesses should plan ahead so that future print runs and redesigns leave space for the new markings.
Businesses that place products on multiple EU markets should also follow the obligations related to Extended Producer Responsibility systems, or EPR schemes, in each country. Participation in these schemes is not a new idea, but under the PPWR the framework becomes stricter and more closely linked to packaging design.
Practical compliance steps:
- Carry out a full packaging review. List all materials and all packaging formats you use.
- Talk to your suppliers. Ask for technical data sheets, declarations of conformity, and information on composition and recyclability.
- Check whether there is unnecessary material. Look for simpler, lighter and cleaner material solutions.
- Work with your designer and printer. Allow space for new markings and avoid rushed changes later.
- Follow the developments. The PPWR will be clarified gradually through implementing acts and technical details.
- Include the issue in your business strategy. Packaging is not just a cost. It is part of compliance, product image and access to the European market.
The most important thing is not to treat the PPWR as a distant legal change. For small and medium-sized businesses, it is a real opportunity to organise packaging better, reduce waste, improve cooperation with suppliers and avoid future problems or unnecessary costs. The earlier the preparation starts, the smoother the adjustment will be. And that matters not only for compliance with the new Regulation, but also for the company’s competitiveness in the new European market.
Indicative references