What is PPWR, and when does it take effect?
FAQ: PPWR - EU PACKAGING REGULATION
PPWR Compliance Starts August 2026. Your Packaging Data Is The Key.
The Questions We Hear Most
What is PPWR, and when does it take effect?
PPWR is the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2025/40). It replaces the earlier Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive with a single set of directly applicable rules across all 27 member states. The first wave — substance restrictions (heavy metals, PFAS food-contact), labelling fundamentals, and the Declaration of Conformity — becomes enforceable on August 12, 2026. Further phases on recyclability, recycled content, minimisation, and reuse follow in 2028 and 2030.
Does PPWR apply to companies based outside the EU?
Yes. PPWR applies to any packaging or packaged product placed on the EU market, regardless of where the producer is based. Non-EU manufacturers, importers, and distributors all need to demonstrate substance conformity, hold the technical dossier, and sign the Declaration of Conformity for the packaging they put into EU circulation.
What's the difference between PPWR conformity and EPR registration?
They're two different obligations under the same regulation. PPWR conformity is about proving each packaging unit meets the substance, documentation and design rules — that's what our PPWR lens covers. EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) is the per-country administrative side: registering with national schemes like LUCID (DE), Citeo (FR), or CONAI (IT), reporting the volume and material of packaging you place on each market, and paying the corresponding waste-management fees. EPR registration sits in a separate workflow with each national PRO. Our platform produces the verified material, weight, and substance data those workflows need; it doesn't replace the national registration itself.
Which packaging is in scope?
All packaging placed on the EU market — primary (sales), secondary (grouped), and tertiary (transport) — across every material (plastics, paper and cardboard, glass, metals, and composites) and every channel (B2C, B2B, online). A handful of derogations apply (e.g. for recycled glass, certain reusable transport packaging) and the lens applies them automatically.
How long does implementation take?
Most customers are scoped, integrated, and have their first supplier campaign live within 4–6 weeks. The pace depends on how clean your packaging master data is and how many SKUs are in scope. We ingest from SAP, Coupa, Ariba or CSV, and our team can run the campaign for you if your compliance org is stretched.
What happens with the 2028 and 2030 phases?
The same data model that captures heavy metals and PFAS today extends to recyclability classes, harmonised labelling, recycled-content thresholds, minimisation, and reuse. As each phase is clarified by delegated and implementing acts, the lens picks up the new verdicts — you don't re-build your packaging portfolio for every wave.
