Preparing for the PPWR: How Should Brands Rethink Packaging Design?

As provisions of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) have begun to apply in phases from 12 August 2026, packaging compliance is moving beyond post-production testing and becoming an integral part of material selection and structural development.

For brands placing products on the European market, packaging must do more than protect, transport and present a product. Material minimisation, recyclability, recycled content and compliance documentation must also be taken into account. The key to preparing for the PPWR is to integrate compliance considerations from the earliest stage of packaging development.

At the beginning of a project, brands and packaging suppliers should identify the intended markets, packaging function, type of product contact, material composition, weight of individual components, and how the packaging can be separated and managed after use.

This information affects not only material and structural decisions, but also the testing, risk assessment and technical documentation that may be required. If compliance information is collected only after packaging has entered production, incomplete material records, limited design flexibility or additional testing may result.

1. Reduce Unnecessary Weight and Volume

Packaging should use no more material or space than necessary to maintain product protection, safe transportation and intended functionality.

Brands can review packaging dimensions, material thickness, internal supports and overall configuration to reduce unnecessary weight, volume and empty space without compromising performance.

2. Simplify Materials and Components

The greater the number of materials and components used, the more difficult packaging may be to identify, separate and recycle.

Magnets, metal decorations, plastic inserts and other additional components should therefore be evaluated according to their functional necessity. Simplifying a packaging structure can also make material information and supply chain documentation easier to manage.

3. Prioritise Recyclable and Separable Structures

Where functionality allows, mono-material packaging may provide a clearer route to recycling. When paper, plastic, metal or other materials must be combined, the individual components should be designed so that they can be effectively identified and separated by consumers or recycling systems.

By 2030, packaging placed on the EU market will need to meet the applicable design-for-recycling requirements and recyclability performance grades established under the PPWR. Material separation should therefore be considered as part of the structural design process rather than as an afterthought.

4. Evaluate Coatings and Decorative Finishes Carefully

Laminations, barrier coatings, inks, adhesives, foil stamping and other decorative finishes can contribute to functionality and brand presentation. However, they may also affect material separation, sorting and recycling quality.

The PPWR does not mean that these processes must be eliminated in every case. Their composition, coverage, functional necessity and potential effect on recycling should instead be assessed so that visual presentation and recyclability can be appropriately balanced.

5. Reduce Virgin Plastic and Apply PCR Materials Appropriately

Certain plastic components may remain necessary to provide sealing, dispensing, twist-up, push-up or protective functions. Brands can reduce their dependence on virgin plastic by lowering component weight, improving paper-plastic separation and incorporating post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials where technically and legally appropriate.

Minimum recycled-content requirements differ according to packaging category and intended use. The proportion of PCR material should therefore be determined according to the specific packaging type, product contact requirements and applicable regulations.

Paper-based packaging benefits from established collection and recycling systems in many European markets and can offer beauty, personal care and health brands additional options for reducing plastic use. Paper shells, moulded pulp inserts and paper-based functional structures can replace certain conventional plastic components.

However, paper-based packaging should not automatically be considered compliant with the PPWR. Laminations, barrier coatings, adhesives, inks and inseparable paper-plastic combinations can all influence its actual recycling performance.

A compliance assessment should therefore consider the complete packaging structure, including secondary materials and finishes, rather than focusing only on the primary material.

The PPWR strengthens documentation and traceability responsibilities for manufacturers, importers and other relevant economic operators. Depending on the company’s role in the supply chain, packaging records may include:

• A bill of materials covering all components;

• The material type and weight of each component;

• Material and supplier declarations;

• REACH documentation and relevant test reports;

• Structural and material separation information;

• Supporting evidence for design for recycling;

• Technical documentation and batch traceability records;

• An EU Declaration of Conformity, where applicable.

EU implementation guidance confirms that the responsible economic operators must carry out the relevant conformity assessment and prepare the required technical documentation and EU Declaration of Conformity.

Compliance records should correspond to the actual materials, packaging model and production batch rather than relying solely on a general supplier statement.

Nextruct continues to monitor the development of the PPWR and other European packaging policies while incorporating material efficiency and structural optimisation into its packaging development process.

Our areas of focus include paper-based packaging and functional paper structures, packaging size and material reduction, separable paper-plastic combinations, PCR plastic components and customised structural development. We are also continuing to improve material information and supply chain documentation while supporting customers with relevant testing and documentation requirements.

The PPWR introduces new compliance responsibilities, but it also encourages the packaging industry to reconsider how materials are selected, how structures are developed and what happens to packaging after use.

Packaging solutions that balance product protection, brand presentation, material efficiency and design for recycling will become increasingly important in the European market.

Nextruct will continue exploring paper-based, plastic-reduced and structurally optimised packaging solutions to help brands prepare for the evolving European packaging market.