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1. What Is the EU PPWR?
2. Who Does the PPWR Apply To?
3. Key PPWR Requirements Businesses Should Know
   1. Packaging Reduction & Minimization timeline
      1. 🟡 Phase 0: Regulation Entry into Force
      2. 🔵 Phase 1: General Application
      3. 🟢 Phase 2: Minimisation & Design Deadlines
      4. 🔵 Other Key Milestones Beyond 2030
      5. 🧩 Type-Specific Notes: Minimisation & Empty Space
         1. 📦 E-Commerce Packaging
         2. 📦 Grouped & Transport Packaging
         3. 🟢 Reusable Packaging Exemptions
   2. 🛠 Transition & Standards Development
   3. 📌 Summary — Key Dates by Packaging Type

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PPWR, or Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, is the EU regulation that regulates the packaging life cycle. It aims to reduce the significant impacts of packaging waste within the European Union by following the 3R objectives: reduce, reuse, and recycle.

The PPWR entered into force on 12 February 2025 and will be effective on 12 August 2026. All businesses shall comply with the requirements specified in this regulation.

Have we had any similar requirements like this one before? The answer is yes, it replaces the current Packaging & Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD). However, as PPWR is a Regulation, it has much broader and stricter requirements on the entire packaging life cycle within all 27 EU member states, including:

• Waste prevention
• Packaging minimization
• Reusability
• Recyclability by design
• Use of recycled content
• Clear labelling and consumer information.

It is also important to emphasize the policy requirements’ objectives: sustainability, waste reduction, and a circular economy.

Who Does the PPWR Apply To?

PPWR packaging requirements apply to all SMEs and large enterprises involved in the packaging supply chain. If you place packaging on the EU market, PPWR applies to you, which means you can be either of the following:

• Packaging manufacturers – manufacturer;
• Importers and distributors – trader;
• Brand owners placing packaged products on the EU market – finished and labelled products;
• E-commerce and distance sellers – finished and labelled products;

Key PPWR Requirements Businesses Should Know

Packaging Reduction & Minimization timeline

The European Union set a goal of ensuring that by 2030, all packaging is recyclable. There would be a recyclability performance grade to provide transparency, indicating that up to 80% of packaging could be eligible material for circularity by 2038.

Below is the timeline of PPWR implementation — especially the packaging reduction & minimisation requirements — broken down by general application dates and specific packaging categories (e-commerce, grouped, transport, etc.):

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🟡 Phase 0: Regulation Entry into Force

• 12 February 2025 – PPWR officially enters into force as EU law. Preparation becomes critical from this date. (Environment)

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🔵 Phase 1: General Application

• 12 August 2026 – All PPWR provisions become legally binding throughout the EU.
  From this date, packaging placed on the EU market must comply with all applicable PPWR design, labelling, conformity, and recycling rules. (Environment)This includes:
  • Packaging minimisation obligations are active for all packaging, including weight, volume, and the avoidance of unnecessary materials. (europen-packaging.eu)
  • Conformity documentation must be prepared by manufacturers/importers. (Recycling mit Mehrwert.)

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🟢 Phase 2: Minimisation & Design Deadlines

These deadlines focus specifically on reduction, empty space limits, recyclability, and minimisation.

📌 By 1 January 2030

Most of the key packaging design reduction requirements become mandatory:

• Packaging must be designed so that its weight & volume are reduced to the minimum necessary (packaging minimisation). (europen-packaging.eu)
• Empty space ratio limit ≤ 50 % for:
  • Grouped packaging, Transport packaging, E-commerce packaging
  Only if not technically unavoidable (some exemptions for reusable systems). (Recycling mit Mehrwert.)

📌 By 1 January 2030 also applies to:

• Categorized recyclability requirements (only Grades A-C allowed, only A-B from this date). (Recycling mit Mehrwert.)
• Minimum recycled content requirements for many plastic packaging categories (vary by material and type). (Recycling mit Mehrwert.)
• Restrictions on specific packaging formats (e.g., some single-use plastic formats banned). (European Parliament)

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🔵 Other Key Milestones Beyond 2030

Member States must meet broader packaging waste reduction targets (e.g., a 10 % reduction in waste compared with 2018). (European Parliament)	Requirement
2035	Member States must meet broader packaging waste reduction targets (e.g., 10 % cut in waste vs 2018). (European Parliament)
2040	Further waste reduction (15 % vs 2018) and higher recycled content quotas for many plastics. (European Parliament)

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🧩 Type-Specific Notes: Minimisation & Empty Space

📦 E-Commerce Packaging

• Empty space ≤ 50 % by 1 Jan 2030
  Applies across platforms selling goods online, including marketplaces and direct sellers. (Recycling mit Mehrwert.)

Note: PPWR aims to reduce unnecessary void fill, such as excess bubble wrap and air pillows, by treating it as part of the unused volume. (Recycling mit Mehrwert.)

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📦 Grouped & Transport Packaging

• Also subject to the ≤ 50 % empty space limit by 2030.
  This includes:
  • Pallet wraps
  • Outer boxes and crates are used for shipping multiple products
  • Corrugated trays and containers are used for internal transport within supply chains. (Recycling mit Mehrwert.)

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🟢 Reusable Packaging Exemptions

Reusable packaging systems (e.g., refillable bottles, pallets used repeatedly) may be exempt from some empty-space limits or subject to different criteria. Still, they must demonstrate actual reuse performance in accordance with PPWR definitions. (Recycling mit Mehrwert.)

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🛠 Transition & Standards Development

While the regulatory milestones are clear, some standards and methodologies for measuring minimisation and empty space are still being finalized:

• Harmonised standards and measurement methods for packaging minimisation expected ~ Q1 2027 (~24 months after entry into force). (europen-packaging.eu)

This matters because compliance will ultimately be assessed against these standards.

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📌 Summary — Key Dates by Packaging Type

Date	All Packaging	E-commerce	Grouped	Transport
Feb 11, 2025	PPWR enters into force	—	—	—
Aug 12, 2026	General application begins	Applies	Applies	Applies
Jan 1, 2030	Minimisation (design)	Empty space ≤ 50%	Empty space ≤ 50%	Empty space ≤ 50%
2035	Packaging waste reduction targets
2040	Higher recycled content targets

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In the other post, we will dive deeper into the actions to be done at Phase 1 of this regulation.

Update 18 December 2025.