EU Regulation 2025/40 on Packaging and Packaging Waste (PPWR) begins enforcement on 12 August 2026, requiring all packaging placed on the EU market — including packaging from third-country exporters — to be accompanied by a legally binding Declaration of Conformity (DoC) and supporting technical documentation. (FruitToday) The phased regulation mandates that all packaging be recyclable by 2030, sets minimum recycled-content thresholds for plastics, restricts single-use plastic packaging for fresh produce formats below 1.5 kg, and bans substances of concern including PFAS; non-EU producers of recycled plastic must meet equivalent standards to those applied within the EU. (European Parliament) The compliance requirements extend well beyond product standards to packaging design, traceability, and environmental performance throughout the supply chain.
Aurelane’s read
PPWR takes effect in August, but the documentation work required to clear EU borders cleanly starts now. Brands exporting to the EU from Africa, Southeast Asia, or Latin America should assume that their first non-compliant shipment after August 12 will be the one that disrupts a launch. The Declaration of Conformity is not a checkbox; it requires upstream traceability on packaging materials that most exporters do not currently document. The work is best done before, not after, a buyer asks for it.