What the EU’s New Packaging Rules Mean for Recyclability

Europe is rewriting the rules for the boxes, bottles and wrappers that carry almost everything people buy. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, known as PPWR, was proposed by the European Commission in 2022 to replace the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive that dates to 1994. It entered into force in 2025, and its requirements phase in over the next 15 years.

The goals are straightforward: prevent and reduce packaging waste, make packaging easier to recycle and keep materials circulating. Because the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation is a regulation rather than a directive, it applies directly and uniformly in every EU member state. The push grew out of rising concern in the 2010s about single-use plastics, packaging waste and missed recycling targets.

A Letter Grade for Every Package

The centerpiece is a Design for Recycling (DfR) grading system. Recyclability will be assessed per unit, by weight, and the detailed DfR rules are due to be set through delegated acts by 2028. Grade A means at least 95% recyclable, grade B at least 80% and grade C at least 70%. Anything below 70% counts as technically non-recyclable and can’t be placed on the EU market from 2030.

Shoppers will see changes sooner. Starting in 2028, standardized, mandatory waste-sorting labels are required on all waste bins and on consumer packaging, so the label on a carton matches the label on the bin it belongs in.

The Timeline From 2030 to 2040

By 2030, all packaging on the EU market must be recyclable by design, and most plastic packaging must meet initial minimum recycled-content targets. Single-use plastic packaging also faces new restrictions that year, including for multipacks, fresh produce and foodservice items. By 2035, all packaging must be recyclable at scale. In 2038 the recyclability criteria get stricter, and in 2040 most plastic packaging must meet higher recycled-content targets.

Why Paperboard Makers Like the Rules

Fiber-based packaging starts from a strong position. Paperboard, made from a blend of virgin wood and recycled fibers, can be recycled five to 10 times. Its loop is simple: mills process raw and recovered fiber into board, converters turn it into packaging, brands and retailers fill and sell it, and consumers put it back into the recycling stream.

Collection rates already reflect that. About 87% of paperboard packaging in Europe is recycled, compared with 42% of plastic, according to Eurostat figures cited by Graphic Packaging International, which makes paperboard packaging for brands worldwide. For companies selling into the EU, the gap between those two numbers is a preview of which materials will have the easier path to compliance.

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