Related Articles
News / September 25, 2026
More changes to come for the food and beverage industry. As of now, PPWR is already in effect. But this is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. The good news is that this gives you time to catch your breath, adapt and prepare for what lies ahead.
PPWR introduces a series of requirements that companies need to meet between 2026 and 2040. For the F&B industry, that’s a lot to take in. Exactly what PPWR means for your business depends on where you are in the value chain. Many companies may wear several hats at once. You could be a manufacturer for your own products, an importer for goods sourced outside the EU and a distributor for goods sourced within the EU. Each role comes with its own set of responsibilities.
Much of the information is already collected today. But it’s the level of detail that changes.
You will need to have a clearer picture of:
For the F&B industry, PPWR is a balancing act. Packaging needs to become more circular while still doing its most important jobs: protecting food, maintaining quality and preventing waste. So yes, “empty spaces” such as unnecessary walls, false bottoms or layers intended only to increase perceived volume need to go. It’s about finding the sweet spot: enough material to protect the product and perform as it should, without adding material that doesn’t serve a purpose.
The regulation entered into force on 11 February 2025 and generally applies from 12 August 2026. Different requirements are introduced over time, and some dates depend on future delegated and implementing acts. Where we say “at the earliest”, the date may be later depending on when these acts are adopted.
Food-contact packaging must meet new restrictions on substances such as PFAS.
Packaging labels are getting harmonised. That means knowing what your packaging is made of will become increasingly important, from materials such as inks, adhesives, coatings and labels to disposal guidance and, where relevant, information on reuse.
Heads up, this is a big one. From 2030, packaging will need to meet new requirements for recycling and minimisation.
This means looking at the whole package: coatings, inks, windows, lids and other components can all affect recyclability. At the same time, packaging should use no more material, weight or volume than necessary to do its job.
The same milestone also brings minimum recycled content requirements for plastic packaging. These apply from 1 January 2030 or three years after the relevant implementing act on calculation and verification, whichever comes later. But the supply chain work starts long before that.
The requirements become stricter, with packaging expected to be recyclable at scale. That means collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure all become part of the equation.
The bar gets higher as further recyclability requirements come into force, with packaging needing to meet higher performance grades under the regulation.
One change can affect another. What works in theory still needs to work in the real world, from the filling line to the supermarket shelf.
So packaging choices made today need to work not only for the product, but for the recycling systems of tomorrow. You don’t need to change everything overnight, but waiting until a deadline arrives could leave you with fewer options.
PPWR is much more than a redesign exercise. It’s also a data, supply chain and risk management transformation. Compliance depends on reliable, traceable and complete data, so building a strong data foundation is an important step towards PPWR readiness.
So, where do you start? By understanding where you stand today:
The companies that are best prepared will be the ones that understand what they have today, what needs to change and where there is room to improve.
We see PPWR as a positive step for the industry. And we would rather help shape how it is applied than wait to be told what to do. In practice, that means three things:
If you are working through any of these steps, we are happy to be part of the conversation.
Related Articles
