How Industry Can Get Ahead of Europe’s New Plastic Packaging Recyclability Rules
Europe’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is set to reshape the landscape for all companies placing packaging on the EU market. With its application starting in August 2026 and requirements tightening significantly by 2030 and beyond, the message to industry is clear: recyclability is no longer optional , it must be demonstrated.
To support companies in this transition, Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) from six European countries — Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden — have joined forces to develop the International Design for Recycling: No Regrets service. These organisations, all part of the EXPRA family, bring together decades of operational experience in managing packaging waste systems and translating policy into practice.
A Shift from Voluntary to Mandatory Recyclability
Under Article 6 of the PPWR, all packaging placed on the market must be recyclable. This requirement will be supported by a harmonised, score-based assessment system, grading packaging from A to C, with stricter thresholds over time. However, while technical criteria are still under development , notably by European standardisation bodies , companies are already expected to act.
This creates a challenging situation: how to design packaging for compliance when not all rules are fully defined.
A “No Regrets” Approach
The Design for Recycling: No Regrets service addresses this gap by identifying areas where there is already broad consensus across existing guidelines and emerging standards. Rather than waiting for full regulatory clarity, companies can rely on these “no regret” criteria to guide immediate design decisions. Click Here to Access Playbook.
The principle is simple: start from what is already known to work.
This approach enables producers, brand owners and packaging designers to:
- move forward with confidence in areas where recyclability is well understood
- identify design elements that are likely to pose future compliance risks
- anticipate regulatory developments without overinvesting in uncertain solutions
From Design to System Performance
Importantly, the initiative reflects a core reality of EPR systems: recyclability is not only a design issue, but a system issue. Packaging must be compatible with existing collection, sorting and recycling infrastructures to be effectively recycled in practice.
By grounding guidance in real operational experience, PROs provide insights that go beyond theoretical recyclability and reflect actual system performance across Europe.
What Companies Should Do Now
Despite remaining uncertainties, the PPWR already provides sufficient direction for companies to take action. Key steps include:
- mapping packaging portfolios and material compositions
- prioritising compatibility in multi-component packaging
- reducing problematic elements such as inks, adhesives and coatings
- ensuring sortability within existing systems
- engaging early with suppliers and value chain partners
Delaying action until full regulatory clarity is reached may increase both compliance risks and future costs.
The Role of EPR in the Transition
Well-functioning Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems will play a central role in supporting this transition. Through eco-modulation of fees and operational feedback, PROs can incentivise better design choices while ensuring that packaging placed on the market aligns with real-world recycling capabilities.
At the same time, maintaining a clear link between producer contributions and the costs of waste management remains essential to preserve the integrity and effectiveness of EPR systems.
Looking Ahead
The PPWR represents more than a regulatory update , it marks a structural shift towards a circular packaging economy. Companies that act early will not only ensure compliance, but also gain a competitive advantage as recyclability becomes a market expectation.
In this evolving context, collaborative initiatives such as the Design for Recycling: No Regrets demonstrate how industry can proactively support the transition by providing practical, harmonised and forward-looking solutions.
Click here to access the Playbook
You can read the full Press Release from Verpact (Netherlands) here: https://www.verpact.nl/en/news/persbericht-reactie-how-industry-can-get-ahead-europes-new-plastic-packaging-recyclability