From 1 January 2030, the PPWR, Regulation (EU) 2025/40, requires at least 40% of transport and e-commerce packaging to be reusable, cardboard boxes excepted. It also requires 10% of grouping boxes other than cardboard to be reusable, and 10% of beverages sold by final distributors to consumers to come in reusable packaging. For 2040 the law sets best-effort targets of 70%, 25% and 40%. Refill rules for take-away food and drink start earlier, on 12 February 2027.
What the PPWR reuse and refill regime covers
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2025/40, has applied since 12 August 2026. Its reuse targets sit in Article 29 and its refill rules in Articles 32 and 33. Cafés, restaurants and other HORECA businesses selling take-away drinks or ready meals must let customers bring their own container from 12 February 2027. From 12 February 2028 they must also offer reusable packaging, unless they are micro-enterprises, and from 2030 they should aim to offer 10% of products in it. A PPWR reuse target is a binding share of a packaging format that must go round a reuse system instead of being used once and thrown away. The refill rules serve the same purpose. GreenSutra’s EU PPWR solutions work maps these duties for each business.
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 figures for 1 January 2040. Article 29 treats the 2040 figures as best-effort targets. The Commission must report on them by 1 January 2034 and may propose changes then.
| Packaging sector | Binding from 2030 | Best-effort target from 2040 |
|---|---|---|
| Transport and e-commerce packaging such as pallets, plastic crates and boxes, except cardboard boxes | at least 40% reusable | at least 70% |
| Grouped packaging in boxes, except cardboard | 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 some reuse or deposit-return duties because of safety or product limits:
- 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.
In GreenSutra’s PPWR work, exporters often treat reuse as a simple packaging swap. They overlook the return logistics and pooling that a working reuse system needs. The EU PPWR guide sets out the readiness steps sector by sector and separates the binding 2030 shares from the 2040 figures, which depend on the Commission’s review. Where independent conformity or laboratory testing is needed, accredited testing bodies carry it out.
Sources: Regulation (EU) 2025/40 · EUR-Lex summary