The PPWR and its impact on producers
The main purpose of PPWR is to create harmonised legislation in all EU Member States to meet the targets for reducing packaging waste, increasing circularity and promoting the EU internal market.
For you as a producer, the regulation means new and more extensive requirements for your packaging. Among other things, there will be higher requirements for recyclability, the proportion of recycled material in packaging and requirements for reuse.
Important changes
The PPWR entered into force on 11 February 2025 and will be applied for the first time from 12 August 2026. Not all requirements will come into effect at the same time. The legislation applies to all packaging, regardless of the type of material.
Some important changes in the PPWR:
- Packaging waste must be reduced by 5 percent by 2030, 10 percent by 2035 and 15 percent by 2040 – compared to 2018.
- All packaging must be recycled to 55 percent by 31 December 2035.
- Packaging must be considered recyclable only when it is designed for recycling, and can be collected, sorted and recycled on a larger scale.
- Requirement for recycled material in new packaging.
- Clear labelling of packaging to facilitate source separation.
- Certain packaging will be banned.
Milestones in the coming years
PPWR will be implemented gradually in the coming years, we listed some of the most important requirements and changes.
Introduced from August 12, 2026
- New definition of producers
Introduced from August 12, 2028
- Requirements for packaging labeling
Introduced in 2030
- New classification of material recyclability – class A-C. Packaging with less than 70% recycling rate will be banned. As a producer, you already need to familiarize yourself with which packaging is at risk of being banned in 2030.
- Minimum standards for packaging dimensions and empty spaces in packaging
- Requirements for the percentage of recycled content in plastic packaging
- Targets for reuse
- Targets for refilling refillable packaging
Introduced in 2035
- Assessment of recyclability based on packaging large-scale recyclability
Introduced in 2038
- Ban on packaging with class C recyclability
Introduced in 2040
- Increased requirements for recycled content in packaging
- Increased recycling targets
Support
Support for our producers
We offer advice and support related to PPWR and are actively working to produce verified answers to questions related to upcoming requirements. We continue to offer support by services related to design for recycling and packaging minimization.
The requirements in PPWR apply to both producer responsibility organizations and producers and we are continuously working to offer you a relevant customer support going forward. At present, we do not have answers to all questions, but you are always welcome to contact us.
As a customer at NPA, you have access to our overview introduction to PPWR. If you have not already received it, you are welcome to contact your account manager or producer service at producer@npa.se
In the spring of 2024, we produced a short information film where we review the goals of PPWR and summarize what the main changes will be and when they will be introduced.
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s guidance
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for guiding producers and producer responsibility organizations in the new legislation and has produced guidance for PPWR.
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s guidance to PPWR (in Swedish)
Frequently asked questions
PPWR stands for Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and is a new EU regulation that replaces the previous directive on packaging and packaging waste. The aim of the PPWR is to establish a coherent regulatory framework across the EU to achieve the objectives of reducing packaging waste, increasing circularity, and promoting the internal market of EU. The PPWR requires producers to ensure that packaging is recyclable, and that waste management is efficient.
All companies that place packaging on the EU market – whether they are manufacturers, importers, or distributors – are covered by the regulations. This also applies to e-commerce businesses and brand owners.
The Regulation contains a new definition of producers. As a general rule, the producer is the economic operator who, as a manufacturer, importer or distributor established in a Member State, makes packaging or packaged products available for the first time from the territory of that Member State and on the same territory. The aim of the new producer definition is that only one company should be the producer for a single packaging unit.
The PPWR applies to all packaging and packaging waste, regardless of the material used and regardless of whether the packaging waste has been used in or comes from, for example, industry, other manufacturing, households, or retail.
The PPWR is a comprehensive set of regulations with many requirements, some of which we already fulfil in Sweden, for example through a widespread return and deposit system. The new requirements added by PPWR are mainly requirements for the recyclability of packaging through design for recycling, minimization of packaging material, recycled material in packaging, labelling, re-use and refilling of packaging and environmental claims on packaging. Furthermore, the Regulation contains some explicit prohibitions.
Packaging can only be placed on the market if it fulfils the requirements set out in the Regulation.
Further information can be found in the document ‘A brief introduction to the PPWR’, which is available to you as a customer. You are also welcome to contact us for advice.
The PPWR will apply from 12 August 2026. Some of the provisions will not take effect until the following years. Below, we outline some of the key requirements and changes.
Introduced on 12 August 2026:
- New definition of producers
Introduced on 12 August 2028:
- Labelling requirements for packaging
Introduced in 2030
- New classification of material recyclability – class A-C. Packaging with less than 70% recycling rate will be banned. As a producer, you already need to familiarize yourself with which packaging is at risk of being banned in 2030.
- Minimum standards for packaging dimensions and empty spaces in packaging
- Requirements for the percentage of recycled content in plastic packaging
- Targets for reuse
- Targets for refilling refillable packaging
Introduced in 2035
- Assessment of recyclability based on packaging large-scale recyclability
Introduced in 2038
- Ban on packaging with class C recyclability
Introduced in 2040
- Increased requirements for recycled content in packaging
- Increased recycling targets
Further information can be found in the document ‘A brief introduction to the PPWR’, which is available to you as a customer. You are also welcome to contact us for advice.
