PPWR reuse targets under Regulation (EU) 2025/40 set binding 2030 shares of at least 40 percent for transport and e-commerce packaging, 10 percent for grouped packaging and 10 percent of beverages sold by final distributors, alongside indicative, review-dependent 2040 figures of 70, 25 and 40 percent respectively.
What the PPWR reuse and refill regime covers
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2025/40, applies from 12 August 2026 and sets reuse and refill obligations under Article 29. PPWR reuse targets are binding shares of specific packaging formats that must circulate within a reuse system rather than being used once and discarded. Refill sits alongside reuse as a delivery mechanism for the same goal. Organisations mapping these duties, from producer scoping through reuse-system design, can review the approach behind GreenSutra’s EU PPWR solutions.
Reuse targets by sector for 2030 and 2040
The obligations apply to specific formats: transport and e-commerce packaging, grouped packaging, and beverages made available by final distributors, each measured as a share circulating within a reuse system. Binding targets apply from 1 January 2030, with higher indicative figures set for 1 January 2040. The 2040 figures are subject to a Commission review and are not settled binding law as of July 2026, so they should be read as review-dependent rather than fixed.
| Packaging sector | Binding from 2030 | Indicative 2040 (review-dependent) |
|---|---|---|
| Transport and e-commerce packaging (pallets, boxes, crates) | at least 40% reusable | at least 70% |
| Grouped packaging | at least 10% reusable | at least 25% |
| Beverages via final distributors (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) | at least 10% reusable | at least 40% |
Transport packaging moved between sites of the same operator within the EU must in principle also be reusable from 1 January 2030.
Main exemptions and how to prepare
Several categories sit outside certain reuse or deposit-return obligations, reflecting safety and product constraints:
- Milk and other beverages requiring aseptic packaging for microbiological safety.
- Wine, aromatised wine products and spirit drinks.
- Milk products, which fall outside certain reuse or deposit-return duties.
Across GreenSutra’s PPWR work, exporters often treat reuse as a simple packaging swap and overlook the reverse-logistics and pooling arrangements a genuine reuse system demands. A structured, sector-by-sector readiness path, and the distinction between binding 2030 shares and review-dependent 2040 figures, sits in the EU PPWR guide. Independent conformity or laboratory testing, where needed, rests with accredited third parties.
Sources: Regulation (EU) 2025/40 · EUR-Lex summary