Transport Packaging & PPWR: Rules for B2B and Pallet Wrapping
Reuse targets, empty space limits and format bans for pallets, crates and B2B cartons
The PPWR requires at least 40 percent of transport packaging – pallets, crates, boxes and trays – to be reusable by 1 January 2030, rising to 70 percent by 2040. Moving goods between your own sites, or within a single Member State, requires 100 percent reusability by 2030, though pallet wrap and straps were exempted from that rule in February 2026.
Because these materials never reach a private consumer, they were long assumed to sit outside packaging law. B2B logistics is now squarely in scope.
Key takeaways
- Transport packaging faces aggressive mandatory reuse targets starting 1 January 2030.
- The empty space ratio caps void fill and air at 50 percent for all transport and grouped shipments.
- Pallet wrap and straps recently gained a specific exemption from the strictest 100 percent reuse rules.
What counts as transport packaging?
According to the definition of transport packaging in Article 3 of the EU PPWR regulation, transport packaging (also known as tertiary packaging) facilitates the handling and transport of multiple sales units to prevent physical damage. This includes pallets, foldable plastic boxes, intermediate bulk containers (IBCs), pails, drums, and strapping.
Grouped packaging, or secondary packaging, is distinct but similarly regulated. It is designed to group a number of sales units together at the point of sale, whether sold to the final user or used to restock retail shelves.
What are the reuse targets for B2B logistics?
Transport packaging is shifting away from single-use formats. Under the Article 29 reuse targets for transport packaging, economic operators using pallets, plastic crates, boxes, and trays within the EU must ensure that at least 40 percent of this packaging is reusable within a system by 1 January 2030. By 1 January 2040, this target increases to 70 percent.
For internal logistics, the rules are even stricter. If you transport products between your own company sites, or to another enterprise within the same Member State, 100 percent of your transport packaging must be reusable by 2030.
From 1 January 2030, any business moving goods between its own warehouses or within the same Member State must ensure 100 percent of its transport boxes and crates are fully reusable.
Are pallet wrapping and straps restricted?
Initially, the 100 percent reuse target for intra-company transport included pallet wrappings and straps, causing significant concern for logistics operators regarding technical feasibility and cost.
However, the Commission Delegated Act on pallet wrappings and straps exemption adopted on 25 February 2026 officially removed these two items from the 100 percent intra-company reuse requirement. While you no longer need to find 100 percent reusable stretch film for domestic warehouse transfers, your operation as a whole must still meet the baseline 40 percent reusability target for transport packaging.
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How does the empty space rule affect transport boxes?
If you pack small B2B product bundles into large tertiary cartons, you must adjust your box sizes. The Article 24 obligation related to excessive packaging mandates that grouped, transport, and e-commerce packaging must observe a maximum empty space ratio of 50 percent by 1 January 2030.
Critically, space filled by materials like bubble wrap, air cushions, polystyrene chips, and paper cuttings is legally counted as empty space. You can read the detailed calculation mechanics in our guide to the PPWR 50 percent empty space ratio.
Which transport packaging formats are banned?
The regulation introduces strict market prohibitions for specific single-use items commonly found in logistics and retail distribution. Under the Annex V restrictions on packaging formats, single-use plastic grouped packaging used to bundle cans or bottles at the point of sale (such as shrink wrap) will be restricted from 1 January 2030.
Additionally, polystyrene chips and similar plastics used to protect goods during handling and transport are explicitly targeted for removal.
How should online sellers and distributors prepare?
If you understand what the PPWR requires, you know that transport packaging obligations apply directly to the economic operator who fills or uses the packaging.
To prepare, you need to audit your B2B logistics today. Replace single-use cardboard transport boxes for internal warehouse transfers with durable, rotation-ready plastic crates. Review your volumetric box dimensions to ensure you fall below the 50 percent void limit before the 2030 deadline. Finally, make sure any remaining single-use transport materials carry the correct material codes, as detailed in our breakdown of PPWR labelling requirements.
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Frequently asked questions
- What are the PPWR reuse targets for transport packaging?
- By 1 January 2030, economic operators must ensure at least 40 percent of their transport packaging, such as pallets and plastic crates, is reusable. This rises to 70 percent by 1 January 2040.
- Are pallet wrapping and straps banned under PPWR?
- No. While they were originally scoped for a 100 percent reuse requirement for intra-company logistics, a February 2026 Delegated Act exempted pallet wrappings and straps from this strict 100 percent rule, though the overall 40 percent transport packaging target still applies.
- Does the 50 percent empty space rule apply to B2B shipments?
- Yes. From 1 January 2030, transport, grouped, and e-commerce packaging must not exceed a 50 percent empty space ratio, and standard void fill materials like bubble wrap count as empty space.
Reviewed by Anton Kröger