PPWR & Recycled Plastic: What Packaging Companies Need to Know

12 August 2026 marks a turning point for the European packaging industry: the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), Regulation (EU) 2025/40, now applies across the European Union.

And while much of the public discussion around PPWR has focused on the recycled-content targets that arrive in 2030, PPWR compliance obligations start today.

What is the PPWR?

The PPWR is the EU's new, directly applicable regulation on packaging and packaging waste. It replaces the previous Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (94/62/EC), which each member state had transposed into national law differently. As a regulation rather than a directive, the PPWR creates one harmonised set of rules that applies uniformly across all 27 EU member states — for any company placing packaging on the EU market, regardless of where it is based.

For manufacturers placing packaging on the EU market, the regulation introduces requirements for conformity assessment, technical documentation and an EU Declaration of Conformity. This also has consequences further upstream: packaging manufacturers rely on their material suppliers for the information they need to demonstrate compliance.

At #tide®, we have prepared for this change. We have standardised our documentation across our recycled material portfolio, giving our customers access to consistent and comprehensive information to support their own PPWR compliance.

PPWR compliance: what changes from 12 August 2026?

Under the PPWR, manufacturers may only place packaging on the market that complies with the applicable requirements of the regulation.

Before placing packaging on the market, manufacturers must carry out a conformity assessment and prepare the required technical documentation. Where conformity with the applicable requirements has been demonstrated, an EU Declaration of Conformity must be issued.

Depending on the packaging and the applicable requirements, the technical documentation can include:

• a general description of the packaging and its intended use

• information on its design and materials

• applicable standards and technical specifications

• evidence of how relevant PPWR requirements have been assessed

• relevant test reports

For packaging manufacturers, this makes access to reliable information throughout the supply chain essential.

Why material suppliers matter for PPWR compliance

A packaging manufacturer can only document what it knows about the materials entering its product.

Material specifications, composition, recycled-content information, traceability and relevant regulatory statements can all form part of the information needed to assess and document a packaging solution.

PPWR compliance does not start with the finished packaging. It starts upstream, with the material supply chain.

Reliable material documentation is therefore becoming an increasingly important factor when selecting a recycled packaging material supplier.

This is exactly where #tide® comes in.

#tide® is ready for PPWR

At #tide®, we have been preparing our recycled material portfolio and documentation for the application of the PPWR.

We have standardised our documentation across our recycled material portfolio (rHDPE, rLDPE, rPET, rPP and rPA6), giving customers access to consistent and comprehensive information for their own PPWR compliance processes.

Depending on the material and application, we can provide relevant information including:

• material specifications

• recycled-content information

• traceability information

• regulatory statements

• technical and quality documentation

This is backed by our robust quality management and technical expertise.

In our role as a material supplier we can not declare the finished packaging PPWR compliant — that responsibility remains with the packaging manufacturer.

Our role is to provide the reliable material information behind it.

And 2030? Recycled content becomes mandatory

The requirements applying now are only the beginning of the PPWR transition. From 1 January 2030, the regulation introduces minimum recycled-content requirements for plastic packaging under Article 7, with different targets depending on the packaging category:

• 30% for single-use plastic beverage bottles (rising to 65% by 2040)

• 30% for other contact-sensitive packaging made primarily from PET (rising to 50% by 2040)

• 10% for contact-sensitive packaging made from plastics other than PET (rising to 25% by 2040)

• 35% for other plastic packaging (rising to 65% by 2040)

Only post-consumer recycled content (PCR) counts toward these targets — production scrap or other pre-consumer recyclate does not automatically qualify.

This will substantially increase demand for verified recycled plastics in the European packaging market. For packaging manufacturers and brands, there is therefore a strong reason to act early: the coming years can be used not only to establish PPWR documentation and compliance processes, but also to test, validate and integrate recycled materials into packaging applications ahead of the 2030 requirements.

#tide® recycled materials are built to meet these post-consumer content thresholds today, not just from 2030 — so packaging manufacturers can start integrating them well ahead of the deadline.

Reliable documentation for today's PPWR requirements. High-quality recycled materials for the packaging of tomorrow.

Looking for recycled material for your packaging?

If you manufacture packaging, develop new packaging solutions, or are reviewing your material supply chain under the PPWR, talk to us.

Our team can help you identify suitable #tide® recycled materials and provide the material information and documentation needed to support your PPWR compliance process.

PPWR applies now. We are ready. Are you?