PPWR-compliant transport packaging

Packaging must be manufactured in a way that minimizes concentrations of any substances of concern. This also applies to the presence of these substances in emissions and in all materials generated during waste management (e.g., secondary raw materials).

PFAS limits for packaging that comes into contact with food

• 25 ppb for each individual PFAS substance (excluding polymeric PFAS)
• 250 ppb for the total PFAS (excluding polymeric PFAS)
• 50 ppm for total fluorine content (including polymeric PFAS)

Limit values for heavy metals

The total concentration of lead, cadmium, mercury, and hexavalent chromium (chromium IV) must not exceed 100 mg/kg.

Different minimum recycled content requirements apply to single-use beverage bottles and contact-sensitive packaging made of PET. There are also exceptions that are not subject to this requirement, including primary packaging for pharmaceuticals, plastic packaging for medical devices and in vitro diagnostic devices, and packaging for the transport of dangerous goods.

The European Commission will review the state of technological development and environmental sustainability of bio-based plastic packaging by 2028. Based on this assessment, specific legislative proposals may then be introduced covering the following aspects:

• sustainability requirements for bio-based raw materials in plastic packaging
• targets for increasing the use of bio-based raw materials in plastic packaging
• the possibility of substituting minimum post-consumer recycled (PCR) content requirements with bio-based raw materials
• Revision of the definition of bio-based plastics:

Starting February 12, 2028, the following packaging must be compostable under industrially controlled conditions:

• bags or single-serve portions that are used and disposed of as containers for tea, coffee, or other beverage products
• stickers attached to fruit and vegetables

If organic waste is collected separately, EU countries may require that very lightweight plastic carrier bags, as well as packaging already designated as compostable under national regulations, continue to be compostable.

Other packaging, including that made from biodegradable plastic polymers, must be suitable for material recycling and must not impair the recyclability of other waste streams.

To minimize packaging waste, all packaging must be designed so that its weight and volume are reduced to the minimum necessary to ensure its functionality. If such a reduction is not possible, the manufacturer must justify this in accordance with the performance criteria defined in Annex IV.

Packaging intended solely to increase the perceived volume of the product – for example, through double walls, false bottoms, or unnecessary layers – is not permitted, unless it is protected by design or trademark rights.

From 2030, outer packaging, transport packaging and e-commerce packaging may contain no more than 50 percent empty space.

From 2028 onwards, packaging may only be placed on the market with standardized, EU-wide uniform labeling. The labeling must include information on material composition as well as clear identification features to make sorting easier for consumers and waste management operators. It must be clearly visible, legible, and permanently affixed, glued, or engraved on the packaging. Additional information on reusability, traceability, recyclability, the manufacturer, or the packaged product may also be provided on a digital medium (e.g., QR code).