On August 12 of this year, companies will be required to comply with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), a new, stricter, uniform European framework that applies to packaging across the European Union.
This regulation, which replaces Directive 94/62/EC, establishes a unified regulatory framework that is directly applicable in the EU to reduce the environmental impact of packaging, foster a circular economy, and harmonize national regulations in this area. It is worth noting that in 2022 Spain enacted Royal Decree 1055/2022, anticipating some of these measures and that now they must adapt to the new European Regulation. The PPWR also includes targets for prevention, reuse and recyclability, increases producer responsibility and imposes stringent labeling and conformity requirements for all packaging placed on the European market.
More than 80 million tonnes of packaging waste
According to figures from the European Commission, the EU generates more than 80 million tonnes of packaging waste each year, and that volume has grown faster than GDP over the past decade. If we look at Spain, according to the latest Eurostat figures, 8.4 million tonnes per year, equivalent to about 175 kg per person.
According to Osapiens, the scope of this regulation covers all types of packaging placed on the EU market, regardless of material, and packaging waste, irrespective of origin. In this way, companies will only be able to bring packaging into the market that meets the following requirements:
- The packaging placed on the market must be manufactured in a way that minimizes the presence and concentration of substances of concern in the packaging material or in any of its components.
- All packaging placed on the market will be recyclable, meaning it is designed to facilitate material recycling, enabling the secondary raw materials recovered from them to be of a quality sufficient to substitute primary raw materials and, when they become waste, be capable of separate collection.
- Packaging must be designed and manufactured in a way that minimizes its volume and weight, while ensuring product safety and functionality.
- The packaging placed on the market will bear a label containing information about its material composition to help consumers separate and recycle. The label will be based on pictograms and easy to understand, including for people with disabilities.
The PPWR addresses the full life cycle of packaging, from design to end of life, involving all players in the supply chain and not only focusing on the material. Four main roles are defined (producer, manufacturer, importer, and distributor) with specific obligations.
The four main roles are:
- Producer: a company that introduces packaging or a packaged product into the EU market under its own name or brand.
- Manufacturer: the party that physically produces the packaging, regardless of the product contained.
- Importer: becomes responsible as soon as packaged products from outside the EU are placed on the market of a Member State.
- Distributor: makes packaged products available within the EU without producing or importing them.
It is worth noting that a company can fulfill multiple roles at the same time, making it a structural part of product governance and the supply chain.
And each role carries specific legal obligations such as collecting and sharing packaging data, complying with design and material requirements, labeling and proper documentation, transferring information within the chain, and the mandatory submission of reporting at the time of market introduction.
Incorrectly assessing the role not only leads to non-compliance risk, but they may face fines or market restrictions. Many organizations find that their responsibilities differ by product line, by country, and by sourcing model. As a result, PPWR compliance is not merely an administrative requirement but a structural challenge for the supply chain.
Technology, a key ally for compliance
Technology is emerging as a strategic ally because PPWR compliance is a data and traceability challenge at the scale of each producer. Moreover, responsibilities vary by role, the country of market entry, etc. Without a single digital solution that can consolidate supplier data, specifications, spreadsheets, and internal systems, meeting this regulation will be impossible.
A transparency and compliance solution enables centralizing the bill of materials for each packaging, automating the classification of roles and obligations, controlling technical documentation, maintaining a unified labeling system, etc. By connecting data from different sources such as procurement, quality, packaging design, and logistics, a company can detect risks in its supply chain.
In the words of Alberto Zamora: “The new regulations like PPWR pose major challenges for companies and require a technology partner who can help not only comply with regulatory obligations but also manage the supply chain, mitigate risks, and drive transparency.”
