The New EU Packaging Regulation (PPWR): What Every Business Needs to Know Before August 12, 2026

The packaging industry in Europe is facing the most significant regulatory change in nearly 30 years. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR—Regulation (EU) 2025/40) replaces the previously applicable Directive 94/62/EC and introduces uniform, mandatory rules across all EU member states—without the need for national transposition.

For manufacturers, importers, retailers, and all companies that place packaged goods on the European market, this is not a distant prospect—the first mandatory requirements will take effect in just a few days.

What Is the PPWR and Why Is the Regulatory Framework Changing?

The regulation was adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU and was officially published in the Official Journal of the European Union on January 22, 2025, entering into force on February 11, 2025. Unlike the Directive, which each member state implemented in its own way, the regulation applies directly and uniformly across all 27 countries—including Bulgaria—with no exceptions for micro- and small enterprises regarding the core obligations.

The European Commission’s goal is clear: to reduce the volume of packaging waste, increase the share of recyclable and post-consumer recycled packaging, limit harmful substances, and create a truly functioning market for recycled materials within the circular economy.

Key deadlines businesses need to keep track of:

August 12, 2026 – start of full implementation. This is the key date on which most of the regulation’s provisions become mandatory in all member states, and the old Directive 94/62/EC is largely repealed. From this point on, a complete ban on the use of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in packaging intended to come into contact with food will also take effect, with specific thresholds: 25 ppb for a single PFAS substance, 250 ppb for the sum of PFAS, and 50 ppm for the total PFAS content.

January 1, 2030 – Recyclability and minimization of packaging. As of this date, all packaging placed on the EU market must meet a specific recyclability class—A, B, or C (corresponding to ≥95%, ≥80%, and ≥70% recyclability per unit of packaging, respectively). Packaging that does not meet at least Class C will be withdrawn from the market. At the same time, requirements are taking effect to limit the weight and volume of packaging to the minimum necessary for its function, and a 50% cap on empty space is being introduced for groupage, transport, and e-commerce packaging. Deceptive practices such as false bottoms or unnecessary double walls are now explicitly covered by the regulation.

January 1, 2030 – mandatory recycled content requirement for plastic packaging. Minimum targets for post-consumer recycled content are introduced for certain categories of plastic packaging: 30% for food-contact PET packaging, 10% for food-contact packaging made of other materials, 30% for single-use plastic bottles, and 35% for other plastic packaging. These targets will be further increased after January 1, 2040.

February 12, 2029 – harmonized labeling. Reusable packaging must bear the appropriate label, and additional information for consumers will be provided via a QR code or other digital medium.

By August 12, 2030, the European Commission will assess the need to amend or repeal the restriction on PFAS, and by December 31, 2026—in collaboration with ECHA—it will prepare a report on substances of concern in packaging.

The regulation also maintains the current total limit of 100 mg/kg for lead, cadmium, mercury, and hexavalent chromium in packaging and packaging components.

What This Means in Practice for Packaging Manufacturers

For companies such as manufacturers of flexible packaging (films, bags, wicket bags, etc.), the practical implications affect the entire process—from raw material selection to the finished product:

• Review of the packaging solutions portfolio and risk classification—which items are food-contact, which contain plastic, and which are exported outside Bulgaria.
• Composition traceability—documentation of material composition, the presence of substances of concern, and the percentage of recycled content for each product.
• Design revisions where the current design does not meet future recyclability classes or the requirement to minimize weight/volume.
• Supplier verification—declarations and tests for PFAS, heavy metals, and recycled content.
• Preparation for labeling and digital information, especially for reusable packaging.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)—registration and reporting to national recycling organizations (in Bulgaria, for example, Ecopack and similar organizations licensed by the Ministry of Environment and Water).

It is important to emphasize: The PPWR affects not only retailers but the entire supply chain—including B2B packaging, albeit with certain adjustments to the requirements for such packaging.

Ate Plast is ready to support its partners

Ate Plast has been monitoring the development of the PPWR since its adoption and is already bringing its production process and product portfolio into compliance with the new requirements. The company has the necessary quality management systems in place (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, BRCS, QA CER System 2), which facilitate the transition to the documented and traceable processes required by the regulation.

That is why Ate Plast’s partners can count on:

• Consultation on material selection—recyclable, PCR (post-consumer recycled), and thinner packaging that meets future recyclability standards;
• Transparency and documentation regarding recycled content and compliance with restrictions on substances of concern;
• Collaboration on redesigning existing packaging solutions to meet requirements for minimizing weight and volume without compromising the packaging’s protective function;
• Up-to-date information on deadlines so that Ate Plast’s customers can plan their product cycles in a timely manner and without unnecessary last-minute pressure.

Our readiness to embrace these changes is not merely a matter of regulatory compliance—it is part of Ate Plast’s long-term commitment to sustainable manufacturing and responsible partnerships with our customers.

If your business has not yet begun reviewing its packaging portfolio in light of the PPWR, now is the time. Contact the Ate Plast team to discuss how to prepare your packaging solutions for the new requirements of the European market.

Дата на публикуване: 30/07/2026