Packaging rules: PPWR, EPR and recyclability
Packaging is no longer a cost line you can decide in the last week before loading. Recyclability, recycled content and producer-responsibility registration now follow the goods into the destination market.
- PPWR
- EU packaging regulation, phasing in
- EPR
- producer registration per country
- FSC
- default carton sourcing option
- No PVC
- default on retail blisters
What PPWR changes for a kitchen range
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation replaces the old directive with directly applicable rules: recyclability requirements, recycled-content targets, limits on unnecessary packaging and harmonised labelling, phased in over several years. The direction of travel is clear — packaging has to be designed for recycling and the material declarations have to be demonstrable.
In practice for kitchenware that means: get rid of PVC blisters and mixed-material windows where you can, move to mono-material options (paperboard, PET, PP), and be able to state what each component is and how it separates.
Thresholds and application dates in PPWR are being phased and are updated by delegated acts. Check the current text or your compliance advisor before designing retail packaging against a specific requirement.
Extended producer responsibility: who registers where
| Market | Typical EPR duty | Who usually registers |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Registration in the LUCID packaging register, plus a licensing contract | Importer or first distributor — often the buyer |
| France | Packaging EPR scheme with Triman labelling duties | Importer / brand owner |
| Spain | Packaging EPR registration and reporting | Importer / brand owner |
| United Kingdom | Plastic Packaging Tax on plastic packaging with under 30% recycled content | Business placing packaging on the UK market |
| Australia & NZ | APCO / product stewardship reporting | Brand owner |
Our default packaging, and what it costs to change
- Export carton
- FSC-certified or recycled-content corrugated board, single material, no plastic handle or strapping tape. Barcode and shipping marks applied to your specification.
- Inner protection
- Moulded paper or honeycomb board as the default for glass; recycled LDPE only where drop-test results require it, and declared as such.
- Retail pack
- Paperboard sleeve or tray, mono-material window where a window is unavoidable. PVC and mixed plastic-paper laminates are available but we will quote them with a note about the EPR and recyclability consequences.
- Printed information
- Recyclability and material marks can be printed to the destination market requirement once you confirm which scheme applies.
What we need from you to get packaging right the first time
- Destination markets and channel (retail shelf, marketplace, foodservice) — the rules follow the market, not the product.
- Which EPR scheme you are registered under, or whether you want us to quote with a design that minimises registration burden.
- Any retailer-specific packaging requirement, such as a shelf-ready tray or a max carton weight for manual handling.
- Whether the carton carries your brand or ours, and the barcode source (GS1 or buyer-supplied).
Questions on this page
Short answers with the number or the constraint attached, so they are useful without a follow-up email.
Can you use plastic-free packaging for the whole range?
For most items yes, using paperboard and moulded pulp. Glassware is the exception: some form of film or wrap is often needed to survive a mixed container, and we would rather quote a declared recycled LDPE film than send a broken shipment. We will tell you which items genuinely need it.
Do you charge extra for custom retail packaging?
Printing plates or a die-cut mould are one-off costs if a custom shape is needed. Sleeve prints on stock sizes usually need no tooling at all. Both are quoted as a separate line so you can see the difference between the tooling and the per-unit packaging cost.
Will you provide packaging material weights for our EPR filing?
Yes — per component, per SKU, in grams, with the material and recyclability classification. Ask for it at order confirmation so it arrives before your filing deadline rather than after.
Send the specification you need quoted
Send the items, quantities and destination market. If the specification is not settled yet, send the categories and we will answer with the ranges that apply.
Reply within 24 hours (Mon–Sat)