Design & circularity
PPWR recycled content requirements
Last regulatory verification: 12 August 2026 · 4 official sources
Minimum recycled content targets for plastic packaging from 2030 and 2040, the calculation method still to be adopted, and the evidence chain you need.
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Article 7 of Regulation (EU) 2025/40 requires plastic packaging to contain a minimum share of post-consumer recycled plastic from 1 January 2030, with higher targets from 2040. Targets differ by packaging category, and the calculation and verification method is set by an implementing act that determines what evidence your suppliers must provide.
Regulatory status
Pending secondary act- Legal basis
- Article 7, Regulation (EU) 2025/40
- Applies from
- 1 January 2030, stepping up in 2040
- Binds
- Manufacturers of plastic packaging placed on the EU market
The targets and dates are in the Regulation. The calculation, verification and documentation methodology comes from an implementing act — that act, not the target itself, is what determines the paperwork.
The four target categories
The Regulation does not apply one number to all plastic packaging. It distinguishes contact-sensitive packaging by polymer, single-use plastic beverage bottles, and everything else. Which category a pack falls into is a documentation question before it is a procurement question — and packs that sit near a category boundary should be classified deliberately and recorded.
Contact-sensitive plastic packaging (PET as the major component)
The lower of the contact-sensitive tiers, reflecting availability of food-grade recycled PET.
Contact-sensitive plastic packaging made from plastics other than PET
A materially lower target, reflecting the limited availability of food-grade recyclate outside PET.
Single-use plastic beverage bottles
Carries its own target, building on the obligation already introduced under the Single-Use Plastics Directive.
All other plastic packaging
The general tier, covering non-contact-sensitive plastic packaging.
Why we do not print the percentages here
The evidence chain is the hard part
A recycled content target is not met by buying material described as recycled. It is met by being able to show, per unit of packaging placed on the market, what share of the plastic was post-consumer recyclate and how that share was verified. That means a chain of custody running from the recycler through the compounder and converter to you.
What the chain has to produce
Recyclate origin and type
Post-consumer versus pre-consumer matters: only post-consumer recyclate counts towards the targets.
Usually held by: Recycler / material supplier
Chain-of-custody documentation
A traceable link from recyclate batch to the packaging batch, under whatever model the implementing act permits.
Usually held by: Supply chain, consolidated by the manufacturer
Recycled share per packaging unit
Expressed the way the Regulation requires, not as a plant-level average unless that basis is explicitly permitted.
Usually held by: Manufacturer
Third-party verification where required
Independent verification of the claimed share, in the form the implementing act sets out.
Usually held by: Verifier
Substance compliance for the recyclate
Recycled feedstock still has to meet the substances of concern and, for food contact, PFAS limits.
Usually held by: Manufacturer, evidenced by the supplier
What to do in 2026 and 2027
Two things, both procurement-side. First, put recycled content and traceability obligations into supply agreements now, at renewal rather than at the deadline, when your negotiating position will be worse and recyclate will be tighter. Second, run a baseline: measure the recycled share you already achieve per configuration. Most portfolios contain a small number of packs that are far from the target and a majority that are close — and you only find out which is which by measuring.
Related obligations
Recycled content interacts with recyclability, because the same material decisions drive both, and with substances of concern, because recyclate carries its own history. See PPWR 2030 readiness for the combined view.
Official sources for this page
Every statement above is written against these sources. Where a Commission document and the Regulation differ, the Regulation controls.
- Regulation (EU) 2025/40 — EUR-LexBinding law
- PPWR Implementation HubCommission guidance
- European Commission Comitology RegisterOfficial implementation / research
- Eurostat Packaging Waste — env_waspacOfficial implementation / research
- Sources last verified
- 12 August 2026
- Content last updated
- 12 August 2026
- First published
- 12 August 2026
Written and maintained by the PPWRDeclaration.com editorial team. General information about Regulation (EU) 2025/40 — not legal advice.
Why this matters
What happens if the documentation isn't there
The packaging can be restricted
Packaging without valid technical documentation is treated as non-compliant. Market surveillance authorities can require corrective action, restrict sale, or withdraw it from the market.
Penalties apply per Member State
Each Member State sets its own penalties for non-compliance, and they apply where the packaging is placed on the market — not where your business sits.
Buyers block you first
Retailers, distributors and importers increasingly ask for the Declaration and supporting evidence before onboarding. No file usually means no listing.
Late evidence costs more
Supplier declarations and lab testing have long lead times. Discovering a gap close to a deadline forces rushed testing or packaging redesign.