Everyone knows it, everyone is annoyed by it: After shopping, the garbage can is overflowing with plastic film, cardboard boxes and polystyrene containers. This does not match the growing desire of many consumers for more sustainability – which is why they welcome the increasingly stringent EU initiatives to reduce packaging waste. Not without reason: the EU currently produces almost 190 kg of packaging waste per capita per year.
Many manufacturers, freight forwarders, stores and restaurants are also in favor of environmental protection, less microplastics and more recycling – but the implementation is sometimes a major challenge and also triggers a lot of skepticism, because the goods still have to be packaged safely and hygienically.
The planned EU Packaging Regulation 2025 (EU-VerpackV) will add further requirements.
What’s behind it
The EU plans to reduce packaging waste by 30% per capita by 2040 and ban a lot of single-use plastic packaging by 2030. Since 1994, the European Packaging Directive 94/62/EC (PACK) has regulated how packaging must be produced, taken back and recycled. The long-term goal is to use less and less packaging material. These requirements are currently implemented in Germany by the Packaging Act (VerpackG).
The new directive applies to all countries
The changes will apply equally to all EU member states and do not have to be transposed into local laws as older regulations did. The aim was to adopt the new directive before the European elections in June 2024. Although an agreement has now been reached following negotiations between the Parliament and the Council, the date from which the law will apply will probably only be determined after the European elections in June, as the new Council and the new Parliament still have to “formally approve” it.
The new directive is part of the European Green Deal and the new EU action plan for the circular economy.
5 important planned changes
A new life for coffee capsules
From January 2030, it should be possible to collect, sort and recycle all packaging in the standard systems – this also applies to coffee capsules, tea bags, stickers on food and lightweight plastic bags for fruit and vegetables in the supermarket. Only contact-sensitive packaging has a grace period until the end of December 2034. There are also exceptions for packaging made of certain materials such as light wood, cork, textiles, rubber, ceramics, porcelain and wax. The proportion of recycled plastics in packaging is set to increase from January 2025. In general, more packaging will have to be reusable.
Large packaging, little content
How annoying it is when you open a package that is only half full. The EU wants to put a stop to such deceptive packaging from January 2030 by limiting the proportion of empty space. Even small disposable packaging such as shampoos etc. in hotels or spices, sauces, cream and sugar in individual portions should no longer be allowed. Packaging waste should generally be minimized, weigh less and have less volume.
Information for consumers
From 2026, the materials from which packaging is made will be indicated on packaging – e.g. on packaging in e-commerce, disposable plastic drinks bottles or disposable metal drinks containers. Probably from 2027, a QR code will also provide information on the reusability of the packaging.
Deposit on everything!
By January 1, 2029, consumers are to receive a deposit on all disposable plastic drinks bottles and disposable drinks containers of up to three liters, disposable glass drinks bottles, drinks cartons and reusable packaging. To this end, all deposit and return systems must meet the minimum criteria by January 1, 2028.
Fewer toxins
To protect our health, “perpetual chemicals” (PFAS for short) will be banned in future if they exceed certain limits. The reason for this is their potential health risks for humans and the environment. The aim is to make packaging that comes into contact with food safer and healthier.
