Labelling & formats
PPWR single-use packaging restrictions
Last regulatory verification: 12 August 2026 · 3 official sources
Annex V prohibits specific single-use packaging formats from set dates. Which formats are listed, the exemptions that exist, and how to check your own range.
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Article 25 and Annex V of Regulation (EU) 2025/40 prohibit specified single-use packaging formats from 1 January 2030. The restriction is format-based, not material-based: switching from plastic to paper or a bioplastic does not exempt a listed format. Limited exemptions apply, mostly on hygiene and food-safety grounds.
Regulatory status
Phases in- Legal basis
- Article 25 and Annex V, Regulation (EU) 2025/40
- Applies from
- 1 January 2030
- Binds
- Manufacturers, final distributors and hospitality operators
Read Annex V directly for the definitive list and its thresholds — the categories below are a working summary, not a substitute for the text.
The restricted format groups
Grouped packaging around multipacks of sales units
Typical example: Shrink wrap or an outer carton used only to bundle cans or yoghurt pots for sale
Grouped packaging used for logistics or to prevent damage is treated differently from grouped packaging used purely to create a multipack.
Single-use packaging for fresh fruit and vegetables below a weight threshold
Typical example: Plastic trays and bags for small quantities of unprocessed produce
Exemptions exist where packaging is genuinely needed to prevent water loss, damage or oxidation, or for certified produce.
Single-use packaging for food and drink consumed on the premises
Typical example: Disposable cups, plates, trays and cutlery in hospitality settings
This is the restriction that pushes hospitality towards reuse systems rather than material substitution.
Single-use condiment, sauce and similar portion packaging in hospitality
Typical example: Individual sachets and single-portion tubs served on premises
Bulk dispensing is the intended replacement.
Single-use hotel toiletry miniatures
Typical example: Small shampoo, conditioner and body wash bottles under the threshold
Refillable dispensers are the intended replacement.
Very lightweight plastic carrier bags
Typical example: Thin bags at the point of sale
Exempt where required for hygiene reasons or supplied as primary packaging for loose food.
Material substitution is the wrong response
How to screen a portfolio
Work format by format rather than SKU by SKU. List every packaging format you place on the market or use on premises, mark those that match an Annex V category, then for each match record one of three positions: remove by a stated date, replace with a reuse system, or rely on a specified exemption with the evidence for it. That register is a small document and it is the one an auditor or a retail customer will actually ask for.
Who carries the obligation
For packaging placed on the market, the manufacturer and importer. For hospitality formats, the operator serving the food or drink — which means restaurant, café and hotel groups are directly in scope even where they never manufacture packaging. See manufacturer vs producer for how the roles divide, and the deadlines page for how this sits alongside the other 2030 obligations.
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
- Commission PPWR FAQCommission guidance
- 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.