Registers & countries · Info-tri Sorting Instructions (France)
What is the French Info-tri sorting label and how do I apply it?
A mandatory component-level sorting label for household packaging and graphic paper in France.
The French Info-tri is a mandatory sorting label that must be displayed alongside the Triman logo on all household packaging and graphic paper in France. Under the PPWR, the Info-tri must be replaced by a new EU-harmonised sorting label by 12 August 2028 at the latest.
Many online sellers mistakenly believe that printing the Triman logo on their packaging is enough to comply with French environmental law. In reality, the Triman logo is only half the requirement. The other half is the Info-tri, a detailed set of visual and textual instructions that explains exactly how a consumer should separate and dispose of your packaging. If your product comes in a cardboard box with a plastic insert, the Info-tri tells the consumer what to do with both parts individually.
Updating packaging artwork across an entire product catalogue is a significant logistical hurdle. You have to allocate design resources, adjust print runs, and ensure that the exact phrasing and pictograms align with French legal standards. However, understanding the mechanics of the Info-tri helps you standardise this process across your supply chain. Once you know the material categories your packaging falls into, you can quickly generate the correct labels, hand them off to your suppliers, and move on to selling.
What the Info-tri actually means
The Info-tri is a mandated visual guide that accompanies the overarching Triman recycling logo. The French AGEC law made it mandatory to apply this sorting rule to all household packaging and graphic papers starting from 1 January 2022 (Adhérer à Citeo: REP emballages et papiers graphiques). The rule applies broadly to all single-use household packaging, graphic paper, and packaging that is reusable or refillable at home (Info-tri - Citeo.com).
The Info-tri is a mandatory French labelling requirement that breaks a package down into its individual components and provides the consumer with explicit disposal instructions for each part.
Producer responsibility organisations in France, such as Citeo, manage the exact specifications and design files for these labels. When a company registers with an approved producer responsibility organisation, they gain access to the official design kits, which are often provided as Illustrator files in vector format along with detailed user guides.
To further assist merchants, Citeo provides an online tool called easy Info-tri, which allows members to generate the correct label dynamically based on their specific packaging components. The generated label typically features pictograms of the packaging elements (like a bottle, a box, or a film wrap) alongside colour-coded arrows pointing to the correct recycling or waste bin. This standardisation ensures that a consumer in France receives the exact same visual cues whether they are throwing away a locally produced cereal box or an imported electronics package.
Does this apply to me?
If you are a producer, importer, distributor, or marketplace seller placing packaged goods or graphic paper onto the French market for households, you must comply with the Info-tri requirement. The obligation applies regardless of whether the product originates in France or is imported from abroad.
The requirement focuses on household packaging. If you exclusively sell B2B products in industrial transit packaging that never reaches a private household, the Info-tri does not apply to those specific transit materials. However, if your products are sold through e-commerce channels to ordinary consumers, the packaging that arrives at their door - including the primary product box and the shipping carton - must bear the correct sorting instructions.
When must businesses replace the Info-tri with the new EU sorting label?
The key dates for the Info-tri run to its eventual replacement by European legislation, as packaging labels shift from national to EU rules. The table below outlines that timeline.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1 January 2022 | The Info-tri label became a mandatory requirement for all household packaging and graphic papers placed on the French market. |
| 12 August 2026 | The European Commission will adopt implementing acts to establish a harmonised EU-wide sorting label (Commission Notice - Guidance document for Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging). |
| 12 August 2028 | The deadline under the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) when national sorting instructions, such as the Info-tri, must be entirely replaced by the new EU harmonised labels. |
It is highly important to note that under the PPWR, Member States will not be allowed to keep their national labels next to EU harmonised labels after 12 August 2028, or 24 months from the date the implementing act enters into force. This means the French Info-tri has an expiration date, and sellers will eventually need to transition their packaging artwork to the new European standard.
Common misconceptions about the Info-tri
“The Triman logo is enough on its own”
This is the most frequent error merchants make. The Triman logo merely indicates that the product is subject to sorting rules. The Info-tri is the actual rule. Printing the Triman without the Info-tri renders the packaging non-compliant in France.
“I have to design the label from scratch”
Sellers often waste time trying to recreate the pictograms. You do not need to design the label yourself. Once you register with a French producer responsibility organisation, they provide you with a generator tool or a complete library of vector files to drop directly into your artwork.
“B2B packaging needs an Info-tri”
The Info-tri is fundamentally a consumer-facing tool. It applies to household packaging and graphic paper. Industrial packaging that stays entirely within commercial supply chains and is managed by commercial waste contractors does not require this specific consumer sorting label.
“The Info-tri will be permanent”
Many brands treat the Info-tri as a permanent fixture on their packaging. However, the impending European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation means that national labels will be superseded by harmonised EU labels in the coming years. You should plan your packaging print runs with this future transition in mind.
5 examples of packaging components and the Info-tri
These 5 examples show how the Info-tri breaks a packaging component down: each label must account for every material present.
1. A glass beverage bottle
The label will separate the glass body from the metal or plastic cap. It will instruct the consumer to place the glass bottle in the dedicated glass recycling bin, while directing the cap to the standard yellow recycling bin.
2. A cardboard box with a plastic window
For a toy or cosmetic item in a windowed box, the Info-tri will show pictograms for both the cardboard carton and the plastic film. It will tell the consumer whether they need to physically separate the plastic from the cardboard before placing both in the recycling bin.
3. A blister pack with a cardboard backing
Common for batteries or small electronics, the Info-tri will feature a pictogram of the plastic shell and another for the cardboard card, instructing the user to separate them so the materials can be sorted accurately at the facility.
4. A cosmetic pump bottle
Cosmetic pumps are notoriously difficult to recycle because they contain mixed plastics and metal springs. The Info-tri will likely instruct the consumer to place the main plastic bottle in the recycling bin, but may direct the pump mechanism to the general waste bin.
5. A multi-pack shrink wrap
If you sell a 6-pack of water bottles, the shrink wrap holding them together is a distinct packaging component. The Info-tri on the wrap will instruct the consumer to place the flexible plastic film into the recycling bin, separate from the bottles themselves.
Terms related to Info-tri
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Triman Label (France) | The overarching French recycling logo that must be paired with the Info-tri sorting instructions on all household packaging. |
| PPWR Article 12 (Labelling of packaging) | The European regulation that will eventually harmonise sorting labels across the EU, replacing national rules like the Info-tri. |
| Recyclability Assessment Rate | The calculation used to determine the actual percentage of a packaging item that can be successfully recovered and recycled in practice. |
| CEREC (Committee to Assess Recyclability of Paper/Cardboard) | The French technical committee responsible for assessing how different materials and additives affect the recycling of paper and cardboard. |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to print the Info-tri on the packaging itself?
Yes, the label must be applied directly to the packaging or the product. In exceptional cases where the packaging is too small, there are provisions to provide the information on a digital medium or a dedicated webpage, but for the vast majority of consumer goods, on-pack printing is mandatory.
Where can I get the official Info-tri vector files?
You obtain the official vector files and design guidelines by registering with a French producer responsibility organisation, such as Citeo or Adelphe. Upon joining, you receive access to their client portals, which contain all the necessary design assets and generator tools.
Does the Info-tri apply to transport packaging?
If the transport packaging is used to deliver a product directly to a household consumer - such as an e-commerce shipping box or a padded mailing envelope - it is considered household packaging and must display the Info-tri.
What happens if I do not include the Info-tri on my products?
Failing to display the correct sorting instructions is a breach of French environmental law. The authorities can issue administrative fines, and marketplaces may suspend your listings until you can prove that your packaging artwork complies with the national labelling requirements.
How does the EU Packaging Regulation (PPWR) affect the Info-tri?
The PPWR introduces a fully harmonised labelling system for all Member States. Once the specific implementing acts are adopted, national rules that add unique sorting instructions will no longer be permitted. Merchants will be required to replace the French Info-tri with the new European label by 12 August 2028 at the latest.
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Written by Anton Kröger, Co-founder – Engineering & AI · Last reviewed 27 Jul 2026
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