Understanding PPWR: summary of Julie FEGER KATZ's talk on the new European packaging regulations

On November 27, 2025, we were delighted to welcome Julie FEGER KATZ, a lawyer at FIDAL, to our offices for a breakfast conference dedicated to new European regulations with a major impact on packaging.

We'd like to take this opportunity to share with you a clear and accessible summary of her talk on the PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation), a subject of vital importance to all those who use or produce packaging.

This summary presents the key points of a complex regulation. Should you have any specific questions or require personalized assistance, please do not hesitate to contact FIDAL directly.

What is PPWR?

The PPWR is a directly applicable European regulation, which will come into force progressively from August 12, 2026. Its aim is to harmonize rules within the EU, ensure fair competition between member states and reduce the environmental impact of packaging throughout its life cycle.

This major reform imposes new requirements on all operators in the supply chain.

The main principles of PPWR: a reinforced 3Rs approach

The regulation marks an ambitious transformation around the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. It concerns household, industrial and commercial packaging.

Key objectives include:

• Reduction of packaging through eco-design,
• Mandatory integration of recycled materials,
• Reinforced targets for reuse,
• Mandatory recyclability for all packaging by 2030.

PPWR scope of application

PPWR applies to :

• All packaging, regardless of material, whether household or professional,
• All packaging waste, regardless of origin,
• A broader definition of packaging, including certain components and labels.

From its entry into force, only PPWR-compliant packaging can be placed on the EU market.

Labeling, marking and information: what's changing?

From August 12, 2028, packaging placed on the market must bear a harmonized label indicating :

• materials to facilitate sorting,
• pictograms that are easy to understand, including for people with disabilities,
• where applicable, information on composting, deposits and reuse (from February 12, 2029),
• digital marking for substances of concern,
• the possibility of adding a QR code.

Are you concerned by PPWR?

The answer is simple: yes, if you produce, use or market packaging.

PPWR applies to all economic operators in the supply chain, including :

• Manufacturers
• Suppliers of packaging and materials
• Agents
• Importers
• Distributors
• Logistics/order fulfillment service providers

What are the obligations of economic operators?

In particular, they must :

1. Guarantee compliance
2. Establish and maintain complete documentation
3. Ensure traceability
4. Include recycled content
5. Cooperate and report
6. Verify compliance before marketing

European targets: reduce packaging waste

Member States must reduce the amount of packaging waste per capita by 2018:

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

These targets are part of the EU's overall strategy for a more circular economy.

How DALIM can help you comply: an efficient, optimized packaging workflow

To meet the ever more stringent requirements of the PPWR, companies need to guarantee full traceability, seamless collaboration between teams, and total control over the life cycle of their packaging. This is precisely what DALIM SOFTWARE can help you achieve with its DALIM FUSION collaborative platform.

A single platform to orchestrate the entire packaging lifecycle

DALIM FUSION enables you to create a structured, fully customizable packaging workflow, covering every stage of the process:

• content creation and validation,
• asset management,
• quality control,
• final approval,
• archiving and traceability.

Thanks to its integrated production DAM, all packaging-related resources (graphic files, regulatory elements, legal notices, successive versions) are centralized in a single repository, guaranteeing :

• total traceability,
• exclusive use of up-to-date, compliant files,
• seamless collaboration between creative, technical, regulatory and legal teams.

A collaborative tool designed for compliance

DALIM FUSION facilitates the involvement of all internal and external players:

• designers,
• marketing teams,
• CSR specialists,
• regulatory teams,
• service providers, printers, suppliers, etc.

Everyone has access to the documents they need, at the right time, working from a single source of truth.

Enhanced quality control thanks to advanced verification tools

To guarantee the conformity of packaging before it is put on the market, the platform integrates :

• an online verification tool that automatically checks various technical and regulatory parameters,
• a high-resolution viewer for annotating, comparing and reviewing multiple versions of the same packaging,
• advanced visual comparison functions (pixel-by-pixel comparison, superimposition, differences),
• the ability to display and examine various formats: PDFs, videos, 3D files, InDesign files, and much more.

These features speed up validation cycles, reduce the risk of errors, and ensure that every package meets PPWR requirements and your own brand standards.

A reliable environment to reduce the risk of non-compliance

By centralizing content, automating critical steps and reinforcing controls, DALIM FUSION helps organizations to :

• secure their processes,
• document every decision,
• keep version histories,
• easily prove compliance in the event of an audit,

• and significantly reduce the costs associated with product corrections or withdrawals.