{"id":24532,"date":"2026-05-12T22:37:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T20:37:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awih.pl\/?p=24532"},"modified":"2026-10-21T21:05:02","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T19:05:02","slug":"ppwr-what-is-it-and-what-does-it-mean-for-packaging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awih.pl\/en\/ppwr-what-is-it-and-what-does-it-mean-for-packaging\/","title":{"rendered":"PPWR \u2013 what is it and what does it mean for packaging?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Legal status and update: September 28, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Developed by: AWIH team. PPWR, i.e. Regulation (EU) 2025\/40, has been in force since August 12, 2026. The article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n

What is PPWR? PPWR in the context of paper bags<\/h2>\n\n \n \n

\n PPWR<\/strong>, that is Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation<\/em>, is Regulation (EU) 2025\/40 on packaging and packaging waste. It entered into force on February 11, 2025, and its provisions are generally applicable from August 12, 2026. The regulation covers the entire packaging life cycle and is important, among others: for producers, importers, distributors and companies using packaging, including paper bags.\n <\/p>\n\n

Table of Contents<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. What is PPWR?<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Legal basis and terms of application<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Purpose of the PPWR Regulation<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Paper bags as packaging within the meaning of the PPWR<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Substances in packaging – Art. 5 PPWR<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Recyclability of packaging – art. 6 PPWR<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. Recyclate content – Art. 7 PPWR<\/a><\/li>\n
  8. Packaging Minimization – Art. 10 PPWR<\/a><\/li>\n
  9. Reusable packaging – art. 11 PPWR<\/a><\/li>\n
  10. Packaging labeling – Art. 12 PPWR<\/a><\/li>\n
  11. Void Space and Excessive Packaging – Art. 24 PPWR<\/a><\/li>\n
  12. Conclusions for paper bag manufacturers<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ol>\n\n

    1. What is PPWR?<\/h2>\n\n

    \n PPWR is an abbreviation of Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation<\/strong>, i.e. the regulation on packaging and packaging waste. The full name of the legal act is:\n Regulation (EU) 2025\/40 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 on packaging and packaging waste<\/strong>.\n <\/p>\n\n

    \n The Regulation replaces the existing Directive 94\/62\/EC. This is a very important change because the directive required implementation into national law, while the regulation is directly applicable in all European Union member states. This means greater uniformity of regulations and less possibility of differences in interpretation between individual countries.\n <\/p>\n\n

    2. Legal basis and terms of application<\/h2>\n\n

    \n PPWR was published as Regulation (EU) 2025\/40<\/strong>. According to information from the European Commission, the regulation has entered into force\n February 11, 2025<\/strong>, and its provisions will, in principle, be applied from August 12, 2026<\/strong>.\n <\/p>\n\n

    \n However, later cut-off dates are particularly important for the packaging industry. One of the key dates is January 1, 2030<\/strong>when packaging placed on the EU market is required to meet design for recycling requirements. The next stage will be a year 2035<\/strong>, when not only the theoretical possibility of recycling will be important, but also recycling carried out on an appropriate scale.\n <\/p>\n\n

    3. Purpose of the PPWR Regulation<\/h2>\n\n

    \n The main goal of PPWR is to reduce the amount of packaging waste and move to a circular economy model. The European Union wants packaging to be designed in such a way that it can be reused, recycled or reduces its impact on the environment.\n <\/p>\n\n

    \n In practice, the PPWR shifts the focus from the actual waste management stage to the packaging design stage. This means that the manufacturer of a paper bag should already take into account during the product design phase: the type of paper, grammage, inks, adhesives, handles, laminates, finishes, and the possibility of actual recycling of the finished packaging.\n <\/p>\n\n

    4. Paper bags as packaging under the PPWR<\/h2>\n\n

    \n \n A paper bag\n<\/a> It is considered packaging if it serves to store, protect, present, deliver, or carry a product. This means that typical printed paper bags, promotional bags, shopping bags, event bags, premium bags, and e-commerce bags will fall within the scope of the PPWR.\n <\/p>\n\n

    \n From the point of view of a paper bag manufacturer, the most important thing is that the PPWR does not prohibit the use of paper as a packaging material. On the contrary, paper may gain importance as a material that is easier to recycle than many plastics. However, this does not mean complete freedom. A paper bag with laminate, foil, metalization, a plastic handle or a difficult barrier coating may be assessed completely differently than a simple mono-material bag made of paper.\n <\/p>\n\n

    5. Substances in packaging – Art. 5 PPWR<\/h2>\n\n

    \n Art. 5 PPWR<\/strong> addresses requirements related to substances present in packaging. This provision includes, among others: restrictions on heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium. Industry materials also point to the importance of PFAS restrictions, especially in relation to packaging that comes into contact with food.\n <\/p>\n\n

    \n For paper bag manufacturers art. 5 is especially important when the bags are intended for gastronomy, bakeries, confectioneries, cafes, food producers or brands packaging food products. Some grease-resistant coatings, barrier varnishes, impregnations, adhesives or chemical additives used in paper may be a problem.\n <\/p>\n\n

    \n In practice, a paper bag manufacturer should obtain declarations from suppliers regarding paper, paints, adhesives, varnishes and possible coatings. Simply saying that the bag is "paper" may not be enough. It will be crucial to confirm that all packaging meets the requirements for hazardous substances.\n <\/p>\n\n

    6. Recyclability of packaging – art. 6 PPWR<\/h2>\n\n

    \n One of the most important regulations for the paper bag market is\n art. 6 PPWR<\/strong>, regarding the recyclability of packaging. Under this approach, packaging placed on the EU market is to be designed to be materially recyclable.\n <\/p>\n\n

    \n From January 1, 2030<\/strong> packaging must meet the criteria of design for recycling, i.e. the so-called Design for Recycling<\/em>. In practice, this means that a paper bag should be designed so that its material can be recovered and used as a secondary raw material.\n <\/p>\n\n

    \n Paper bag manufacturers will find particularly advantageous structures:\n <\/p>\n\n