PPWR GUIDES
PPWR – the new EU packaging rules.
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation applies from August 2026. What it requires, who it affects, and how to prepare.
All PPWR guides
PPWRSoftwareIs there dedicated PPWR software, and what should it do?
PPWR software became a real category in August 2026, when the declaration duty began applying.
14 min read
PPWRPackaging designProtective packaging for online orders: the buyer's guide
Choose protective packaging for shipping that protects products while reducing waste and compliance risk.
8 min read
PPWRBasicsPackaging designTypes of packaging: primary, secondary and transport packaging for EPR and PPWR
Primary, secondary and transport packaging explained with the EPR and PPWR consequences.
7 min read
PPWRRecyclabilityMaterialsIs bubble wrap recyclable, and what does it mean for your packaging fees?
Is bubble wrap recyclable? Learn how PE film design, collection routes, PPWR recyclability and EPR fee modulation affect the answer.
7 min read
PPWRPackaging designThe best void fill for e-commerce, and the PPWR empty-space rule it must meet
Compare the best void fill for e-commerce by protection, recyclability and PPWR empty-space compliance.
8 min read
PPWRBasicsPackaging designSustainable packaging EU rules: what online sellers now need to meet
Sustainable packaging EU rules now set recyclability, recycled-content and minimisation duties.
6 min read
PPWRRecyclabilityPackaging designDesign-for-recycling under PPWR: the changes that lower your grade and your fee
How the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) aligns packaging design with recyclability grades and eco-modulated EPR fees.
7 min read
PPWRRecyclabilityMaterialsIs polystyrene recyclable, and what does it mean for your packaging fees?
Is polystyrene recyclable? Learn how rigid PS, EPS and XPS differ, what PPWR grading will require, and how design can affect EPR fees.
7 min read
PPWRLabellingRecyclabilityWhich recycling symbols on packaging are mandatory in the EU?
Recycling symbols on packaging explained, including France and the PPWR 2028 label.
6 min read
PPWRProducer rolesIs an Authorised Representative Mandatory Under PPWR?
Understand when an authorised representative is required under the new European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, and how it impacts your brand.
6 min read
PPWRDocumentationPackaging designPFAS in Food Packaging: PPWR Limits and Evidence
Since 12 August 2026, PPWR restricts PFAS in food-contact packaging at three concentration limits. Learn the thresholds and evidence your file needs.
6 min read
PPWRPackaging designTransportVoid Fill Under the PPWR: How to Choose It and Use Less
Under the PPWR, paper, air pillows and other void fill count as empty space. Learn how the 50% cap works and how to right-size e-commerce packaging.
6 min read
PPWRReportingDocumentationSingle-Use Plastics Reporting: What Online Sellers Have to Declare
Single-use plastics reporting sits alongside packaging EPR, not inside it: separate registers, item counts as well as weight, some items declared twice.
6 min read
PPWRRecyclabilityPackaging designPPWR Recyclability Grades A, B and C Explained
PPWR grades packaging by recyclable weight: A is 95%+, B is 80%+, C is 70%+. Below 70% is banned from 1 January 2030, and Grade C itself is banned from 2038.
6 min read
PPWRPackaging designReusable Packaging and the 2030 Checkout Rule
From 1 January 2030, 40% of transport packaging and 10% of beverages must be reusable. The reuse-system duties in Articles 26-27 already apply.
7 min read
PPWRRecyclabilityPPWR Recycled Content Targets for Plastic Packaging (2030 & 2040)
From 2030 plastic packaging needs minimum post-consumer recycled content: 35% general, 30% bottles and PET contact-sensitive, 10% non-PET. More follows in 2040.
5 min read
PPWRPackaging designPPWR Restricted Substances: Heavy Metals and Article 5 Limits
PPWR Article 5 caps lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium at 100 mg/kg, and has restricted PFAS in food-contact packaging since 12 August 2026.
5 min read
PPWRTransportTransport Packaging & PPWR: Rules for B2B and Pallet Wrapping
PPWR requires 40% of transport packaging reusable by 2030. Intra-company transport needs 100%, though pallet wrap, straps and cardboard boxes are exempted.
6 min read
PPWRPackaging designThe PPWR 50% Empty Space Ratio: How to Measure and Comply
PPWR Article 24 caps empty space at 50% of box volume from 1 January 2030. Void fill counts as empty space, and sales packaging faces its own 2028 duty.
5 min read
PPWRLabellingPPWR Labelling Requirements: Pictograms, QR Codes, and Material Codes
Harmonised EU material and sorting-bin pictograms replace national labels from 12 August 2028 at the earliest: the implementing acts that set the date are late.
5 min read
PPWRRecyclabilityHow to Prove Packaging Recyclability Under the PPWR
Assess packaging against Design for Recycling criteria and record the grade in your Annex VII file. A is 95%, B 80%, C 70%; below 70% is banned from 2030.
5 min read
PPWRDocumentationWho Signs the PPWR Declaration of Conformity and How to Do It
The legal manufacturer, or their EU authorised representative, signs the PPWR Declaration of Conformity. If your brand is on the packaging, that is you.
6 min read
PPWRDocumentationPPWR Technical Documentation: Building Your Annex VII Evidence Vault
PPWR technical documentation is the Annex VII file: description, drawings, bill of materials, heavy-metal and PFAS lab tests. Required since 12 August 2026.
6 min read
PPWRDocumentationHow to Collect PPWR Technical Documentation from Your Packaging Suppliers
Treat PPWR technical documentation as procurement: inventory components, request heavy-metal and PFAS tests, get recycled-content data, keep 5-10 years.
5 min read
PPWRExemptionsPPWR Exemptions: Are Micro-Enterprises Exempt from Packaging Rules?
The PPWR micro-enterprise exemption (under 10 staff, under EUR 2M) shifts manufacturer duties to your supplier if it is located in the Union.
7 min read
PPWRImportingPPWR Compliance for Importers: Buying Packaged Goods from Outside the EU
PPWR importers must verify the manufacturer's conformity assessment, collect a signed Declaration of Conformity per packaging type, and retain it 5-10 years.
4 min read
PPWRProducer rolesWho is the Legal "Manufacturer" Under PPWR? (Hint: It Might Be You)
Under PPWR the manufacturer is whoever puts their name or trademark on packaging: usually the brand, not the factory. It owns the technical file and DoC.
5 min read
PPWRDeadlinesPPWR Timeline: Packaging Deadlines 2026–2040
Every PPWR deadline that matters, from the 12 Aug 2026 application date to recycled-content and reuse targets in 2030, 2035 and 2040.
7 min read
EPRPPWRBasicsEPR vs PPWR: The Difference Explained (2026)
EPR is the principle that makes you pay for packaging waste. PPWR is the binding EU regulation, applicable since 12 August 2026, that dictates packaging design.
6 min read
PPWRBasicsPPWR Explained: EU Packaging Regulation 2026
The PPWR (Regulation (EU) 2025/40) has applied since 12 August 2026 and binds all 27 member states identically: packaging design, recyclability and labelling.
5 min read