PPWR
READY
PACKAGING
We put your packaging portfolio to the test, develop your packaging strategy and optimize all packaging together step by step until 2030.
Simply start with your individual PPWR workshop.
The PPWR is (almost) here and cannot harm your packaging. Minimum recycled content, Extended Producer Responsibility or Empty Space Ratio – not a long buzzword that will make you tremble…or will it? If your left eye is twitching now, get in touch with us.
Together with our partner network, our Innovation Lab offers you a pragmatic and technically sound approach. We not only make your food packaging PPWR-ready, we also take care of perfect product protection, convincing packaging design and a smile on the customer’s face.
The EU Packaging Checkup: Fit for the new packaging regulation
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is in the starting blocks – and will fundamentally change the requirements for packaging, recyclability and material selection in the EU. Companies need to act: proactively, strategically and with regulatory certainty.
With our EU Packaging Checkup, we offer brands, producers and packaging managers a structured analysis of their existing packaging systems – in line with the future requirements of the PPWR. The aim: to recognize risks, identify the need for action and develop future-proof solutions.
What is the PPWR?
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is a planned EU regulation to standardize and tighten regulations on packaging and packaging waste. It replaces the previous Packaging Directive (94/62/EC) and is due to come into force from 2025 (in parts) or 2030 – with binding effect for all EU member states.
Important objectives of the PPWR are
- Reducing packaging waste in the EU
- Promoting reuse, recycling and the circular economy
- Harmonization of national rules (less regulatory fragmentation)
- More transparency and consumer information
The regulation will be directly applicable – without national transposition laws. This means that companies will have to design their packaging solutions to be uniformly compliant throughout the EU.
Who is affected by the PPWR?
The regulation affects practically all companies that place packaging on the market – especially in the following roles:
- Brand owners and manufacturers of consumer goods (FMCG)
- Packers, bottlers and retailers
- Importers and producers of packaging or packaging materials
- E-commerce and mail order companies (incl. third country shipping to the EU)
The PPWR is particularly relevant for sectors with high packaging volumes: Food & Beverage, Cosmetics, Healthcare, Retail and Shipping.
What are the key contents of the PPWR?
The PPWR contains a large number of specific requirements – among others:
- Design-for-recycling obligation: packaging must be technically and economically recyclable
- Material bans and restrictions: e.g. for unnecessary multiple packaging or certain types of plastic
- Minimum recyclate content obligation: depending on the type of packaging and material (e.g. PET bottles)
- Reuse rates: mandatory targets for reusable packaging in the B2C and B2B sectors
- Transparency requirements: e.g. through standardized recycling labels, QR codes or digital product passports
- Stricter reporting and monitoring obligations along the entire supply chain
The specific requirements depend on the product category, packaging type and market role. This makes a well-founded overview all the more important.
Our offer: The Packaging Checkup according to PPWR criteria
With the EU Packaging Checkup, we help companies to prepare for the upcoming requirements at an early stage and in a practical manner. Our service consists of three central modules:
- Status analysis: Checking existing packaging solutions for conformity, recyclability and material usage
- Risk and action analysis: Identification of optimization and substitution potentials
- Recommendation & roadmap: Concrete suggestions for adjustments, conversions and possible quick wins
Depending on requirements, we integrate external tools (e.g. recyclability assessments), lifecycle data or production partners into the process.
Your benefit: Strategically prepared – regulatory secure
The Packaging Checkup provides companies with a reliable basis for decisions on packaging strategy, design and choice of materials – in line with upcoming EU regulations.
Your advantages at a glance:
- Reduction of regulatory risks and potential liability
- Planning security for relaunches, material changes and innovation
- Improving the eco-balance through targeted material optimization
- Transparency for internal and external stakeholders (CSR, purchasing, production)
- More efficient collaboration with print shops, manufacturers and auditors
The checkup can be carried out for both individual products and entire product ranges.
Typical questions from practice
Our customers deal with the following topics, among others:
- What packaging will still be permitted from 2030?
- What recyclate quotas apply to my materials?
- Do I have to switch from multilayer to monomaterial?
- What proof or labels do I need to provide?
- How do I combine sustainability, design and compliance?
We don’t provide theory – but concrete answers. Directly applicable for purchasing, design teams and management.
FAQ – Frequently asked questions about the PPWR and the Packaging Checkup
Does the PPWR also apply to smaller companies?
Yes – regardless of company size. The regulation is product-related, not company-related. Smaller brands and start-ups must also comply with the new rules as soon as they place packaging on the market in the EU.
When does the PPWR come into force?
The final vote in the EU Parliament took place in April 2024. The regulation is expected to come into force in 2025 – with transition periods until 2030 (depending on requirements). However, many market players are already preparing now.
What is the difference to the previous Packaging Directive?
The Packaging Directive (94/62/EC) was a legally less binding framework that was implemented differently by the member states. The PPWR is a regulation – and therefore directly applicable in all EU countries. It brings harmonized standards and stricter requirements.
Do we have to completely redevelop our packaging?
Not necessarily. Targeted adjustments are often sufficient (e.g. mono-material instead of composite, omission of certain decorative elements, optimization of volumes). The check-up identifies where there is a need for action – and where there is not.
Does the checkup replace a legal opinion?
No. The Packaging Checkup is a practice-oriented design and material analysis. It does not replace legal advice, but provides a sound basis for compliance assessments and strategic decisions – also in cooperation with your legal team.
Conclusion: The packaging of the future is compliant, recyclable and communicative
The PPWR makes packaging not only a logistical issue, but also a strategic one. Companies that act early not only secure compliance – but also competitive advantages in terms of sustainability, innovation and consumer confidence.
Our EU Packaging Checkup is the first step towards future-proof packaging solutions – data-supported, practical and brand-compliant.
Let’s make your packaging future-ready.