2025 was one of the most consequential years for packaging in history. And 2026 is the year that those consequences will start to have a real impact.
Following last year’s introduction of significant new measures like the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) reforms, the new year brings a new reality for the packaging industry. It marks the first step in an evolving, multi-year journey that will see these new regulations shift and tighten, forcing businesses to be proactive in order to stay compliant.
These measures will have a dramatic impact on everyone, from consumers to brands to manufacturers. And, as ever, the businesses that are the best prepared will be the ones best placed for success. Below, you can read through a quick overview of the measures that will make the biggest difference in 2026.
EU PPWR
The most significant overhaul of European packaging law in a generation, PPWR is an attempt to harmonise packaging waste disposal standards and ultimately reduce the amount of waste created across the EU. While it came into force in February 2025, most of its measures will become legally enforceable on the ‘hard implementation’ date of 12 August 2026.
For a more thorough guide to what those measures entail, check out our guide to PPWR. But, in short, 2026 will see the introduction of harmonised EPR regulations across all EU Member States, setting new standards for recyclability, packaging design, and labelling. Many of these measures will further evolve in the years after 2026, but this year marks the establishment of PPWR’s core foundation and framework.
The headline measures that are introduced on day one include new restrictions on single use plastic packaging, which will be banned for many fresh produce, foodservice, and personal care applications. New restrictions around empty space will also take effect, although initially this will only affect eCommerce parcels which will be limited to a maximum of 40% empty space (counted as air and void filler materials like foam chips and paper). Over the coming year, this will extend to other forms of packaging, meaning packaging designers must work to reduce excess and oversized packaging.
Another measure to note in 2026 is the implementation of mandatory reusable packaging in certain sectors. This will predominantly impact foodservice and hospitality businesses, which must offer reusable options for certain food and beverage products at no extra cost to the consumer.
2026 as a reference point
Now more than ever, it’s important for packaging businesses and brands operating in Europe to think beyond 2026.
An interesting quirk of PPWR is that many of its future measures depend on data gathered during 2026. For example, it is set to introduce mandatory deposit return scheme systems for plastic bottles and cans by 2029 – however, any Member State that achieves an 80% collection rate by the end of 2026 will be exempt from this. As a result, the action businesses take today will determine the exact shape of regulations in the years to come. This requires careful consideration in both the short- and long-term.
EU digital product passports (DPP)
Part of the EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), the introduction of digital product passports (DPPs) will become mandatory in 2026.
This will place new transparency requirements on nearly every link in the global supply chain, impacting everything from material sourcing to the development of adhesives to packaging converting and beyond. The DPP will contain key identifying information about each product, including compliance documentation, safety instructions, hazardous substance warnings, granular material composition data, and other details.
For brands and packaging designers, this means finding a way to attach a digital identifier to their products, whether that is a QR code, Data Matrix code, or an RFID tag – without compromising the aesthetic appeal of their products.
Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (ECGT)
This Directive, which was agreed in 2024, will come into force in September 2026. It consists of a raft of measures aimed at improving consumer rights, including – crucially for packaging – restrictions on vague green claims.
Businesses will no longer be able to use terms like ‘eco-friendly’ to greenwash their products – instead, they will have to make specific claims about a product’s sustainability benefits and substantiate those claims. Companies will also not be able to rely on carbon offsetting schemes to claim a product is ‘carbon neutral’ – this must be backed up by a genuine lifecycle assessment of the product in question.
For brands, this means working closely with packaging partners to improve transparency in order to make substantiated, accurate marketing claims about a product’s sustainability. Vaguely describing packaging as ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘green’ will no longer be enough – in 2026, clear communication becomes a legal imperative.
UK pEPR rollout continues
For many businesses, the fireworks over the Thames didn’t just represent a new year, they marked the start of the pEPR era. While these regulations have been slowly phased in throughout the years, producers, importers, and brand owners are now fully responsible for any costs associated with packaging waste management.
This means any in-scope business that places packaging onto the UK market will be charged a fee. In 2026, these fees will be modulated, with more recyclable materials subject to lower charges. And, in the summer, the fees for the year ahead will be published. This will see a continued increase in demand for materials that are subject to lower fees, such as paper and glass, while applications that require plastic use will be hit with cost increases.
The silver lining is that much of the money raised is set to be ploughed back into the UK’s recycling infrastructure, improving access to better quality recycling which should, over time, result in lower costs and greater quantities of high-quality recycled material on the market.
Simpler Recycling reforms in England
March 31 sees the Government’s Simpler Recycling policy roll out across England. This requires households across the country to separate waste into four categories: Food, paper and card, dry recyclables like plastic and metal, and general (non-recyclable) waste.
This puts the pressure on brands – particularly food brands – to be clear and explicit about which packaging materials need to be disposed of in which bin. Clear language, intuitive labelling, and packaging designs that are easy to separate into the correct recycling streams (for example, making plastic liners easy to remove from paperboard trays).
In the coming years, the scope of this policy will expand to include soft plastics, potentially indicating a shift towards monopolymers – materials made from a single type of plastic, which are easier to recycle – to support households and businesses.
Turning regulation into advantage
Taken together, these changes further complicate what was already a minefield of regulations for brands and packaging companies. It means 2026 will be a defining moment for how packaging businesses position themselves for the rest of the decade.
Regulation is reshaping material choices, pack formats, supply chains, labelling, and the way sustainability is communicated to consumers. But it is also creating opportunities for brands that are prepared to move early, tell clearer stories, and demonstrate credibility in a crowded and increasingly sceptical market. Those that can make their voice heard through a whirlwind of complex legislation will be better placed to build trust with customers, retailers, and regulators alike.
That puts pressure on more than just technical and compliance teams. Marketing has a critical role to play. From substantiated sustainability claims and DPP-ready communications to clear recycling guidance and future-focused thought leadership, new transparency requirements mean that the way businesses explain their decisions will matter as much as the decisions themselves.
If you need help making sense of what 2026 means for your brand, that’s where we come in. At Think B2B, we work with packaging manufacturers, material suppliers, and brands to transform complex legislation from a burden into a strategic advantage through clear positioning, authoritative content, and practical campaigns that can turbocharge growth.
Get in touch to find out how we can help you navigate 2026 with confidence, clarity, and credibility.
