The European Union’s Green Deal, launched in 2019, continues to present companies with an enormous transformation task – particularly due to new regulations such as the PPWR, which sets diverse and comprehensive requirements for packaging in line with the desired circular economy.
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation governs the production, use, reuse, disposal and recycling of packaging throughout the European Union, thereby creating a uniform framework for all EU countries.
On 19 December 2024, Regulation (EU) 2025/40 was adopted by the EU Council. It officially entered into force on 12 February 2025. After a transition period of 18 months, the PPWR will become binding on 12 August 2026 and will finally replace the Packaging Directive 94/62/EC.
The basic legal framework with many clear guidelines is already in place. In the coming years, numerous delegated acts as well as detailed implementation guidelines and directives will follow – these will specify and clarify the requirements and assist with implementation.
The new EU Packaging Regulation (PPWR) is changing the entire packaging landscape – from design and material use to recyclability.
In our white paper, you will learn what the regulation specifically means, what obligations and deadlines companies will face, and how you can strategically integrate the requirements into your packaging development.
A practical guide from the packaging experts at Berndt+Partner Creality, with clear explanations, examples and recommendations for action.
Get the complete guide to PPWR 2025/2026 – compact, understandable and practical. Free PPWR white paper:
Companies must implement the PPWR requirements by the specified deadlines. The different deadlines allow for a gradual adjustment of the packaging range. In addition, packaging manufacturers and distributors can make use of certain exemptions in some cases, particularly for medical and contact-sensitive products.
The following regulations must be implemented by August 2026:
– Conformity assessment including technical documentation and declaration of conformity: Companies must assess packaging for PPWR conformity. The latter must be ensured and documented in the form of technical documentation and a declaration of conformity.
– Information, notification and reporting obligations: Companies must provide consumers with detailed information on disposal and refilling options for packaging in accordance with PPWR regulations.
– Labelling requirements: Companies must label their packaging with identification features and contact information, including a QR code.
– Material restrictions: Companies must comply with limits on packaging materials in accordance with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.
– Reuse and refilling: Companies must participate in reuse systems with reusable packaging and provide consumers with comprehensive information about this.
Other content and requirements will become relevant between 2027 and 2030:
– Extended producer responsibility (EPR)
– Compostability
– Bio-based plastics
– Deposit and return systems
– Recyclability
– Minimum proportions of recycled material
– Minimisation of packaging quantities
– Reduction of packaging waste
– Packaging formats (keyword: “deceptive packaging”)
The regulation affects all companies that place packaging on the market in the EU – from manufacturers and brands to retailers, online shops and importers. It also applies to the B2B sector: transport and shipping packaging are explicitly included.
The impact and relevant regulations vary depending on the industry, business model and product. Our experts analyse which PPWR requirements are relevant to your company and your packaging.
Clarify your questions in a no-obligation 30-minute consultation with a PPWR expert:
Despite the sometimes long deadlines, you should start implementing the regulations now – mainly for two reasons:
1. The sooner you start, the more time you will have to come up with a good strategy and take step-by-step measures to ensure that you meet the requirements so that your packaging will continue to be compliant in the future.
2. As the saying goes: The early bird catches the worm. True to this saying, as a pioneer of innovative, PPWR-compliant packaging, you can inspire potential trading partners and customers to support your company in the long term. Once the implementation of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation becomes binding in August 2026, this benefit will no longer apply and other aspects will come to the fore in order to attract the interest of stakeholders.
Let’s be clear: it is crucial for companies to prepare for the PPWR early and in a structured manner.
In the short term, it is important to understand your own role within the EU Packaging Regulation and to review your own packaging range in order to identify packaging that needs to be adapted. The insights gained can be used to derive the priority individual requirements of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and the associated need for action.
The next step is to pilot the regulations that are to be implemented in the near future. The experience gained in the process will in turn help to gradually and efficiently implement the medium and long-term requirements. Given the complexity of many of these requirements, it makes sense to start implementing them promptly, despite the long deadlines in some cases.
Take advantage of BPC’s professional packaging consulting services to develop your roadmap not only on time, but ahead of schedule. Our consultants will accompany you on your journey to full PPWR compliance.
From initial rough guidance and joint workshops to detailed analyses of the impact of the PPWR on your product range, we offer you exactly the packaging advice you need – competent, experienced and pragmatic. And as true packaging specialists, we will of course also support you with the practical implementation…
An overview of our services relating to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation:
PPWR workshops: We explain the current state of legislation to you and your management team and highlight potential risks.
Green Pack Scan: We analyse the sustainability risks of your packaging in relation to EU regulations, including disposal and recyclability, but also in terms of trade requirements and consumer preferences.
Individual Spec Check: We check whether your packaging specifications are prepared and processed in such a way that you can easily comply with reporting requirements.
Digitisation of packaging specifications/Green Pack implementation: We help you digitise and complete your existing specifications using our packaging AI.
Sustainability strategy: We develop a tailor-made sustainability strategy for your packaging range, also with regard to your future choice of materials (e.g. paper vs. plastic, rigid vs. flexible, PET vs. PP, disposable vs. reusable, etc.).
First, we will provide you with all the essential information about the EU regulation. In our workshop, we will familiarise you with the various provisions (articles) in particular, but also with the objectives of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. In addition, we will show you which requirements are relevant for your industry and your company in particular.
We analyse your packaging range for potential PPWR risks. To this end, we carry out our proven Green Pack Scan. This provides information about which of your packaging items need to be optimised in terms of the EU Packaging Directive. During the Spec Check, we verify whether your packaging specifications are complete and already prepared in such a way that they can be used for reporting requirements (technical documentation and declaration of conformity).
We work with you to develop a strategy tailored to your company that will enable you to implement the PPWR regulations efficiently, step by step. With regard to the specifications for technical documentation and declarations of conformity, we set up a digital specification management system for you by implementing the Packaging Cockpit.
We develop concrete ideas and suggestions on how you can adapt your existing packaging designs to comply with the provisions of the EU Packaging Directive. We would also be happy to create new packaging designs for you that are PPWR-compliant and at the same time correspond to your corporate identity and meet trade and consumer-specific requirements – in other words, designs that are convincing in every respect.
Whether you require individual services or a full service package, we will support you wherever you are and work with you to develop solutions that make your packaging PPWR-compliant – efficiently, strategically and tailored to your requirements.
Depending on your knowledge and requirements with regard to the EU regulation, we offer you the option of taking advantage of our full service, from knowledge transfer to the development of new, PPWR-compliant packaging designs, or simply booking individual services.
In any case, you can rest assured that we keep a close eye on the many challenges associated with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and always develop comprehensive solutions for our customers that work in both the short and long term.
We are aware that companies must not only comply with the provisions of the EU Packaging Regulation, but also ensure that the quality of their packaging remains consistently high despite extensive adjustments, which can mean additional costs.
The need for investment, for example in new technologies, is increasing massively – and the resulting additional costs are usually passed on to the supply chain. It is therefore extremely important to develop efficient solutions that take into account all aspects and parts of the supply chain.
Furthermore, failure to comply with the regulations can result in bans on the use of non-compliant packaging or heavy fines – penalties that can lead to significant losses in revenue and damage to reputation.
If you have general questions about sustainability and PPWR, we are the right people to contact. Our experts will also advise you individually and show you how you can make your packaging more sustainable and compliant with legal requirements.
Sustainable packaging design requires more than just an environmentally friendly packaging solution in line with EU regulations. To be successful in the long term, it also needs to be designed with the market and consumers in mind. That is why we take a holistic approach.
Our PPWR service offering covers all stages, from general or individual consulting to measures such as the Green Pack Scan and Green Pack implementation, right through to the PPWR-compliant redesign or reorganisation of your packaging.
If you have general questions about sustainability and PPWR, we are the right people to contact. Our experts will also advise you individually and show you how you can make your packaging more sustainable and compliant with legal requirements.
Sustainable packaging design requires more than just an environmentally friendly packaging solution in line with EU regulations. To be successful in the long term, it also needs to be designed with the market and consumers in mind. That is why we take a holistic approach.
Our PPWR service offering covers all stages, from general or individual consulting to measures such as the Green Pack Scan and Green Pack implementation, right through to the PPWR-compliant redesign or reorganisation of your packaging.
You can condemn the new EU Packaging Regulation, but you can also see it as an opportunity, because it creates scope for optimisation and innovation that will bring your company greater success in the long term. We support you in this from the very beginning. Our PPWR and design specialists have the necessary expertise, creativity and experience.
Together, we develop clever designs that save raw materials and thus reduce costs. We design packaging from lightweight materials that reduce emissions in the supply chain. And thanks to our comprehensive specification documentation, we can identify where and how you can further improve your production and logistics processes.
We have been thinking about packaging in terms of PPWR compliance since long before the EU regulation came into force, and have been gathering relevant experience for years. This makes us experts in developing packaging that meets all legal requirements as well as trade and customer requirements, ensuring sustainable success in every respect.
Our specialists in packaging strategy and sustainability answer the most important questions about the new EU Packaging Regulation and its impact on companies, brands and design processes.
The abbreviation PPWR stands for Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation – the new EU packaging regulation. It replaces the previous Packaging Directive (PPWD) and establishes uniform rules across Europe for the design, use and disposal of packaging.
The aim is to reduce packaging waste, increase recycling rates and strengthen the circular economy in the EU.
The PPWR affects industrial companies as well as brands, retailers and packaging manufacturers – and marks the biggest regulatory change in the European packaging industry in decades.
The PPWR will officially come into force on 11 February 2025. From this date onwards, the general regulations will apply.
The first binding requirements, such as the declaration of conformity for packaging, will become mandatory from 12 August 2026.
In the following years, further requirements will gradually come into force – for example, on recyclability (from 2030), minimum recycled content, packaging minimisation and new labelling and reporting obligations.
The PPWR affects all players along the packaging supply chain. These include:
This means that almost every company that places packaging on the market or uses it is directly or indirectly affected by the new legal requirements.
Key dates in the PPWR roadmap:
11 February 2025: Entry into force of the regulation
12 August 2026: Introduction of documentation and compliance requirements
2030: Application of the new recycling, recycled material and packaging minimisation requirements
2035–2040: Further tightening of requirements for recyclability, material use and waste reduction
These deadlines mark key milestones for which companies should already be preparing strategically today.
Implementing the PPWR requires interdisciplinary expertise in regulation, sustainability, packaging strategy and design.
The team at Berndt+Partner Creality supports companies with:
This ensures that the legal requirements are implemented not only in a legally compliant manner, but also in a way that is brand-appropriate and sustainable.
Your next steps to us
01 Fill out the form below.
02 We will contact you shortly to discuss the exact packaging consultation process and clarify how we can make your packaging PPWR-compliant and generally more sustainable and successful.
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Alternatively, you can book an appointment directly in our calendar for a non-binding 30-minute consultation with one of our PPWR experts.
