One of the most groundbreaking aspects of the 2025 PPWR is its assault on single-use and excessive packaging. The regulation goes beyond recycling and squarely addresses the prevention of waste in the first place. It introduces bans on certain single-use packaging items, sets reduction targets to curb how much packaging is used, and strongly promotes reuse and refill systems as alternatives to single-use packaging. For businesses and consumers, this could mean saying goodbye to some familiar throwaway packages and adjusting to new ways of delivering products. Is this the beginning of the end for wasteful packaging? Let’s look at what the PPWR mandates:

What’s No Longer Allowed by 2030

Building on the success of the 2019 Single-Use Plastics Directive (which banned items like plastic straws and cutlery), the PPWR bans or phases out several common single-use packaging formats that are deemed unnecessary or highly polluting​.

By 2030, the following single-use packaging items will be prohibited in the EU market:

• Small fruit and vegetable packaging: No more plastic wrap or small single-use bags for fresh produce under 1.5 kg​. For example, the plastic trays or film wrapping around packs of apples or cucumbers will be banned. (Notably, some exceptions may apply for food safety – the aim is to prevent needless plastic when produce can be sold loose or in reusable bags.)
• Single-use condiment sachets: Those little one-use packets of ketchup, mayonnaise, sugar, coffee creamer, etc., common in restaurants and hotels, are slated for elimination​. They’re hard to recycle and often littered. Businesses will need to switch to alternatives like pump dispensers, larger shared containers, or other refillable solutions for condiments and seasonings.
• Miniature toiletry bottles in hotels: The tiny shampoo, soap, or lotion bottles provided in hotel rooms will be phased out​. Hotels are expected to transition to wall-mounted dispensers or other refillable options for guest toiletries, cutting a significant source of single-use plastic waste.
• Disposable packaging for on-site consumption: By 2030, restaurants, cafes, and other hospitality businesses will no longer be allowed to serve food or drinks in throwaway packaging when customers are dining on the premises​. That means no more plastic cups or containers for eat-in orders – reusable plates, cups, and cutlery will be required for on-site use. This change targets a major waste stream from fast-food and coffee chains, ensuring that dine-in service is genuinely waste-free.
• Ultra-lightweight plastic produce bags: Those flimsy plastic bags (under 15 microns thick) used to collect loose produce or baked goods – often given out for free in supermarkets – will be heavily restricted. By 2030, stores must stop offering very lightweight plastic carrier bags for produce​. Shoppers will either use paper or reusable mesh bags or bring their own, a practice already adopted in some EU countries.

These bans signal a clear message: if a single-use package is avoidable and has sustainable alternatives, it should be eliminated. For businesses, it means rethinking packaging of small portions and convenience items. Many companies anticipated this – for instance, some hotel chains have already started installing bulk dispensers for toiletries, and condiment brands are experimenting with pump station formats for cafes. The lead time to 2030 gives industries a window to innovate and implement alternatives.

New Waste Reduction Goals

Beyond specific bans, the PPWR targets the broader issue of overpackaging – the extra layers, empty space, or unnecessarily large boxes that often come with products. The regulation mandates “minimising the weight and volume of packaging” and avoiding unnecessary packaging​. This will likely translate into technical standards or guidelines (for example, limits on how much empty air a shipping box can contain relative to the product).

E-commerce and retail packaging will need to be “right-sized”. We may see an end to absurd scenarios like a tiny item shipped in a big box filled with padding, or excessively ornate packaging with multiple layers for simple products. Businesses are encouraged to use packaging material no more than needed for safety and functionality.

What Businesses Must Do to Comply

Crucially, the PPWR sets binding packaging waste reduction targets at the national level. Each Member State must reduce the amount of packaging waste per capita compared to 2018, by:

• 5% by 2030
• 10% by 2035
• 15% by 2040

While those numbers might appear modest, they represent a significant reversal from the steady increases seen in previous years. Achieving them requires systemic changes: lighter packaging, more bulk and refill options, and a shift away from single-use mentality. These targets essentially force countries (and their industries) to embrace packaging prevention measures, not just recycling.

The Push for Circular Packaging

To meet the waste reduction goals, the PPWR strongly promotes reuse. Businesses will be obligated in certain contexts to provide reusable packaging options or allow customers to refill their own containers.

For example, by 2027, food and drink vendors (like take-away restaurants and coffee shops) must allow customers to bring their own reusable containers for take-out, at no extra charge​. This means your local café can’t refuse to fill your reusable cup or charge you more for it – a big win for the reuse movement.

Moreover, the regulation spurs the establishment of deposit-return schemes for beverage containers. By 2029, all EU countries must implement deposit systems for single-use plastic and metal beverage containers up to 3 liters​. The goal is to achieve a 90% separate collection rate for beverage bottles by 2029, aligning with earlier directives.

Challenges and Costs of Compliance

The PPWR initially considered setting quantitative reuse targets (e.g., requiring a certain percentage of packaging in sectors like take-away food or e-commerce to be reusable by a set date). The final law, after much debate, took a slightly softer approach: some specific targets were watered down or made conditional (amid industry lobbying)​.

Nonetheless, the direction is clear – reuse is back on the agenda. For instance, the regulation encourages reusable transport packaging in B2B logistics and refillable packaging for personal care and cleaning products.

How Buying Habits Will Change

Consumers might initially experience some inconvenience – like paying a deposit on a soda can, or not finding a plastic bag for veggies – but these changes are intended to become second nature over time.

The overall vision is that wasteful packaging becomes a relic: in a few years, it should feel normal that your takeaway coffee cup is reusable, your online order isn’t swimming in bubble wrap, and you don’t get a handful of plastic sachets with your hotel coffee.

How the EU Will Ensure Success?

Achieving the reduction targets (5%, 10%, 15%) will be closely monitored. Each country will report packaging waste per capita, and the European Commission will keep pressure on those that fall behind.

If the EU as a whole sees packaging waste plateau and decline, it will be a major success story, proving that economic growth doesn’t have to mean more waste.

What’s Next for Sustainable Packaging?

In conclusion, the PPWR’s provisions on single-use plastics and packaging reduction represent a bold attempt to bend the curve of packaging waste downward.

By banning some of the worst offenders and nudging both industry and consumers toward reuse, the EU is signaling that the throwaway culture must change.