The EU’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) will begin to apply from 12th August 2026, introducing new requirements for businesses placing packaged products on the EU market. If your company exports to the EU, now is the time to understand what these changes could mean for your products and packaging.
Rather than simply summarising the legislation, we asked one of our manufacturing members – Simon Campling, Operations Director at G7th – to share his experience of preparing for the new rules.
His practical insights highlight some of the challenges businesses are already facing and why it’s worth getting ahead of the changes.
Continue reading below to hear Simon’s thoughts…
With new EU regulations coming thick and fast, it’s hard to keep up with all the different initials (IOSS, EPR, etc.). The latest one to cross my desk is PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation), and even though I’m ALREADY trying to update our packaging to stay in line with EPR, this is already throwing extra curveballs into the mix.
The threat of packages being turned away by customs is very real (I bet many of you have seen it even when using IOSS, we have!), so we want to make sure we have everything in place. Things to keep in mind when you’re looking at it are:
- The chemical tests you need to do on all your packaging for heavy metal content (not cheap)
- That your packaging needs a separate identification number that matches the identification system manufacturers use for products (SKU code/type/batch/serial number)
- You need a Declaration of Conformity for all your packaging (see the regulations here, ANNEX VIII https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/40/oj/eng )
- And a partridge in a pear tree. Maybe not this one, actually, but it feels like it!
There’s also additional details coming in the future, such as the 50% Empty Space Rule (the maximum empty space ratio in retail, shipping, and e-commerce packaging must be 50%, calculation method TBC), and a harmonised labelling system for the entire EU (which will mean you have to change everything AGAIN in a year or two).
I do understand why the EU is doing this… I just wish it were a bit easier to implement. It’s not like packaging for a capo has a great deal of space for all these extra details!
My main recommendations are – talk to your EU Authorised Representatives, as they will likely be able to help, and also talk to your EU distributors, as they are almost certainly dealing with this, too!
Many thanks to Simon for sharing his experience with fellow members.
If your business sells products into the EU and you haven’t yet reviewed how the PPWR may affect your packaging, we’d encourage you to start those conversations now with your packaging suppliers, EU Authorised Representative and EU distributors. Preparing early could help avoid costly delays and compliance issues once the Regulation is fully in force.
If you have experience of implementing new regulations or have insights that could benefit other members, we’d love to hear from you. Sharing practical knowledge is one of the best ways we can support each other as an industry.
