William Janeway
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) entered into force in February 2025 and applies from 12 August 2026. For FMCG brands, it brings new rules on labelling, recyclability, recycled content, and packaging minimisation. Over the next few years, these rules will change how packaging is designed, updated, and approved across entire portfolios.
This article explains what PPWR means for FMCG packaging, which obligations apply now, what is coming before 2030, and how to plan the work without last-minute rework. It also shows how Collabra, a packaging agency in Gothenburg with more than 20 years of FMCG experience, helps brands turn PPWR into a structured packaging project rather than a series of urgent fixes.
Key takeaways
- PPWR replaces the 1994 Packaging Directive with one regulation that applies directly in all EU member states.
- Some obligations apply from August 2026, while labelling, recyclability, and recycled content rules phase in towards 2030.
- Each requirement leads to packaging changes across SKUs, markets, and language versions.
- Brands that plan PPWR updates as one portfolio project can bundle changes and avoid repeated redesigns.
- Collabra helps FMCG brands map their portfolio, plan updates in waves, and deliver accurate packaging for every market.
What is the PPWR and why it matters for FMCG
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2025/40, is the EU's first directly applicable packaging law. It replaces Directive 94/62/EC, which had been in place for 30 years. Because it is a regulation and not a directive, the same rules apply in all 27 member states without national transposition.
For FMCG brands selling in the EU, PPWR covers:
- Design for recycling and recyclability
- Recycled content in plastic packaging
- Packaging minimisation
- Reuse obligations for certain formats
- Harmonised labelling for material and sorting
- Conformity assessment and documentation
PPWR affects the full life of a pack, from material choice and structure to what is printed on it and how it is communicated to consumers.
Which PPWR requirements apply from August 2026?
Several obligations have applied since 12 August 2026. These include restrictions on PFAS in food-contact packaging, limits on heavy metals, and the conformity assessment procedure. Manufacturers must also be able to show that their packaging meets PPWR requirements through a conformity assessment and an EU Declaration of Conformity.
For packaging teams, the immediate impact is about knowledge and documentation. You need to know what your packaging is made of, which suppliers deliver which materials, and how packaging decisions were reviewed and approved.
Other requirements follow on a phased schedule. The European Commission is still adopting delegated and implementing acts that will define exact recyclability criteria and labelling formats.
How PPWR will change what's printed on your pack
PPWR introduces harmonised labels for material composition and sorting. National recycling symbols will gradually be replaced by standard EU markings, with harmonised labelling expected to apply from around 2028. Once the implementing acts are final, they will set the exact symbols, placement, and sizing.
For brands with many SKUs across several markets, this means:
- Label updates on every pack that carries recycling or sorting information
- Changes across all language versions, not just one master design
- Layout adjustments, because new symbols need space and may move other elements
- New review rounds, as every change must be checked before print
Packaging minimisation rules can also change the pack itself. If structure, size, or dielines change to reduce weight or empty space, the graphic layout must be adapted as well.
How Collabra helps: Collabra adapts packaging designs to new PPWR labelling across every SKU, format, and language version. Because the same team handles design and production, label changes are applied consistently and checked before files reach the printer.
The 2030 PPWR milestones for FMCG brands
The biggest changes arrive around 2030:
- Recyclability: All packaging placed on the EU market must be recyclable, based on design-for-recycling criteria at material and component level. Packaging that doesn't meet them will lose market access.
- Recycled content: Minimum recycled content targets for plastic packaging start in 2030, with higher targets for 2040.
- Minimisation: Packaging weight, volume, and empty space must be reduced to what is necessary.
- Reuse: Reuse targets apply to certain formats, such as transport and some e-commerce packaging.
Each milestone can trigger material changes, structural changes, and new label content. Together, they add up to a large volume of packaging updates in a short period.
Why PPWR is a portfolio project, not a label fix
Many brands will be tempted to handle PPWR one rule at a time: update labels now, change materials later, adjust structures after that. The result is several rounds of changes to the same packs, each with its own design, review, and print costs.
A better approach is to treat PPWR as a portfolio project:
- Map the whole portfolio once against all PPWR milestones
- Group changes by SKU, so each pack is updated as few times as possible
- Combine PPWR updates with planned work, such as redesigns, line extensions, or seasonal changes
- Roll out in waves, timed around stock run-out and retail dates
This turns many small, urgent changes into a planned programme with clear priorities and a realistic timeline.
How Collabra helps: Collabra's packaging strategy team maps your portfolio against PPWR requirements, identifies which packs need what changes and when, and helps you bundle updates with other planned projects. That reduces the number of times each pack is redesigned and reprinted.
Documentation: knowing who approved what
The conformity assessment means brands must be able to show how their packaging meets PPWR requirements. When authorities or retailers ask questions, you need to answer clearly and quickly.
On the packaging side, that means keeping a clear record of:
- Which version of each pack is on the market
- What changed between versions, and why
- Who reviewed and approved each change, and when
- Which regulatory requirement triggered the change
When this information is spread across emails, file names, and personal notes, it is hard to rebuild. A clear, consistent approval process makes it part of everyday work instead of an emergency task.
How Collabra helps: Collabra runs packaging projects with a clear review order and keeps structured records of changes and approvals for every market version. This gives brands reliable packaging information to support their PPWR documentation.
What FMCG packaging teams should do now
1. Map your portfolio against PPWR
List all packaging formats and SKUs, and check them against each PPWR phase. Separate what needs action now from what must change before 2028 and 2030.
2. Talk to your material and packaging suppliers
Many PPWR requirements depend on materials and structure. Collect supplier information on material composition, recyclability, and recycled content early.
3. Plan updates in waves
Prioritise by risk, volume, and timing. Start with high-volume SKUs and formats that are furthest from compliance, and align changes with planned redesigns.
4. Build regulatory review into your packaging process
Make PPWR checks a fixed part of every packaging update, not a separate step at the end. This prevents non-compliant packs from slipping through.
5. Prepare your design system for new labels
Make sure your master designs have room for new sorting and material symbols. Small layout decisions now can save many adaptations later.
6. Choose partners who can handle the volume
PPWR updates often affect the whole portfolio at once. Work with partners who have the capacity and multi-market experience to deliver accurate changes on time.
How Collabra helps: Collabra supports every step on the packaging side, from portfolio mapping and update planning to design adaptation and print-ready production. Collabra works alongside your material suppliers and regulatory advisors, so legal and technical input is applied correctly across every pack.
How Collabra helps brands get ready for PPWR
PPWR is not only a legal question. It is a packaging operations challenge that affects strategy, design, and production at the same time. Collabra brings these together in one team:
- PPWR portfolio analysis: Map which SKUs and formats are affected by each milestone
- Update planning: Prioritise changes and combine them with planned redesigns and launches
- Design adaptation: Update master designs and layouts for new labels and pack structures
- Multi-market production: Apply changes to every language and market version, with prepress and print-ready files
- Rollout coordination: Plan waves around stock and retail dates, and work directly with printers
Conclusion: start preparing for PPWR now
PPWR is the biggest change to EU packaging law in three decades. The phased timeline from 2026 to 2030 gives FMCG brands a window to adapt, but only if they use it.
Brands that map their portfolio early, bundle changes, and roll out in planned waves will avoid repeated redesigns and last-minute reprints. Brands that wait will face many urgent changes at the same time.
Planning your PPWR update? Talk to Collabra's packaging team about your portfolio and timeline.
