I’m a small business owner – which rules apply to me?

If you run a small business, you may be classed as a micro enterprise under the PPWR. These have fewer than 10 staff and an annual sales or balance sheet total of no more than €2 million. If you place fewer than 50,000 kilograms of packaging on the Dutch market each year, you do not need to take any action until at least 31 December 2027. However, do keep that date in mind, as the 50,000-kilogram packaging threshold may be removed after that. Verpact provides further information for micro-enterprises, including a factsheet (in Dutch).

How can I find out what my role is under the PPWR?

You can check In the PPWR regulations whether your role is, for example, that of a manufacturer, distributor or producer. Article 3.1 describes the roles. Verpact has a brief Dutch-language explanation of the roles. Your role determines which obligations apply to you.

What are the requirements for keeping records relating to packaging?

That depends on your role: Manufacturer or importer: you must show that your packaging meets the rules and keep the needed papers. Producer: you must meet the rules for manufacturers and importers. In addition, you must report the amount of packaging you put on the market and send a notice to Verpact. As a distributor, you do not need to keep extra records about packaging.

What do I need to do if I use less than 50,000 kg of packaging?

You must track how many kilograms of packaging you use. If Verpact asks how much packaging you use, you must show that you use less than 50,000 kilograms. You can work this out as follows: Tou send 10,000 items per year. The packaging for 1 item weighs about 200 grams (0.2 kilograms). This means you use a total of 10,000 × 0.2 kilograms = 2,000 kilograms of packaging per year. This keeps you below the 50,000-kilogram limit.

What rules apply when I send my products to EU countries?

That depends on the product, the country you’re selling in, and whether you are considered a producer under the PPWR. Do you sell products under your own name or brand? If so, you are often considered a producer. If you use more than 50,000 kilograms of packaging, you must register with Verpact. Do you sell products from another Dutch brand? In that case, that business is usually the producer. Do you sell directly to customers in another EU country? Then, under the PPWR, you are the producer there. If you sell to a business that resells the products, that business is the producer.

I import goods from outside the EU – for example, from countries such as China, USA, and UK. Am I responsible for the packaging?

That depends on your role. As an importer of products from outside the EU, you are usually not responsible for the packaging under the PPWR. You must, however, receive and keep the maker’s declaration of conformity. Do you put your own name or brand on the product or its packaging? If so, the PPWR treats you as the maker. In that case, you are responsible for the packaging yourself and must request information about this from your supplier.

I send packaged goods to other EU countries. Do I need to register in every EU country?

It depends on who you are sending the packaged products to: If you send a packaged product to a firm that resells it without changing it, that firm acts as the maker in the country where it is based. The maker must submit a declaration. For example, you sell coffee mugs in a box to the firm ‘Schöne Tasse’ in Germany. Schöne Tasse resells the coffee mugs to German shops without repackaging the products or adding a brand name. Schöne Tasse is the first to place the coffee mugs on the German market and is therefore required to submit a declaration. If you send a packaged product to a consumer or to a business that not only resells the product but, for example, repackages it or puts it into a new product, then you are the producer in the country where the recipient is based. You must register there. Registration in those countries is necessary because every EU country has rules governing extended producer responsibility (EPR). This means that the producer is responsible for the entire process from collection right through to recycling. Each country has its own EPR organisations.

I sell through sites such as Etsy and Shopify. What is my role?

That depends on what you sell and to whom. Do you sell products under your own name or brand? If so, you are usually the maker. Do you sell products from another Dutch brand? If so, that brand is usually the maker. Do you sell directly to customers in other EU countries? If so, under the PPWR, you are also considered the maker there. If you sell to a business that resells the products, that business is considered the maker.

I still have some bubble wrap and postal bags left. May I use them up?

You may keep using any stock of packaging that you already had before 12 August 2026.

PPWR: what the new EU packaging rules mean for your business

21 July 2026
Edited 7 October 2026
4 min
Sustainability, Rules and laws
Managing and growing
Astrid Feitsma

Do you use packaging in your business? If so, you must follow new European packaging rules: the PPWR. These rules came into force on 12 August 2026. They are designed to reduce packaging waste. The EU also wants packaging to be recycled and reused more often. Find out how you can start preparing now.

The rules in the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) apply to all European Union countries. Not all the rules will come into force at the same time. The legislation will be phased in gradually until 2035.

What changes will take place between 2026 and 2035?

The PPWR will be introduced over the coming years. Stricter requirements will apply to the design, manufacture, and use of packaging. To reduce waste and save on raw materials, packaging must be smaller and lighter, amongst other things. Also, stricter rules will be introduced for harmful substances in packaging, such as PFAS and other hazardous chemicals. The requirements apply to all packaging. Not only for products, but also for packaging used in shipping, such as boxes, packing material, tape, and labels.

The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) is responsible for checking whether businesses follow the rules.

Who is covered by the PPWR?

Do you package, sell, import, or ship products? If so, you will be subject to PPWR. Exactly what the rules will mean in practice is not yet entirely clear and depends on your activities and your role in the supply chain

There are various roles, such as manufacturer, importer, producer, and supplier. Information on the responsibilities for each role can be found at Verpact. This is the producer organisation that organises the collection, recycling, and reuse of packaging in the Netherlands.

For shipping packaging, service packaging, and primary product packaging, it is not yet entirely clear who is considered the manufacturer or producer under the PPWR. Verpact is therefore asking businesses, for the time being, to continue on the basis of the situation before 12 August 2026. But the PPWR obligations do remain in force.

Exemption for small businesses

Do you have fewer than 10 employees and a turnover of less than €2 million per year? And do you place fewer than 50,000 kilograms of packaging on the Dutch market each year? If so, under the PPWR, you may be a micro-enterprise. In that case, you do not need to take any action until 31 December at the latest. Do keep that date in mind though, as the 50,000-kilo packaging threshold may be abolished after that.

What do you need to do since 12 August?

These are the rules that have come into force on 12 August 2026:

1 Do not use PFAS in food packaging

Do you sell food or drink? Packaging that comes into direct contact with food must not contain harmful PFAS substances above a certain limit. Examples include pizza boxes, trays, and cups. PFAS are long lasting chemicals that are harmful to health and the environment.

2. Prove that packaging complies with EU rules

If you have packaging manufactured or import it, you must be able to prove that it complies with European rules. To do this, you need an EU declaration of conformity. This is a document stating that the packaging complies with European rules. The manufacturer must arrange this. Suppliers must provide the information required for this.

3. Make sure clear information is provided on the packaging

It must be clear where the packaging comes from. So this information must be displayed on the packaging. Or it must be accessible via a QR code:

A number (for example, a batch or serial number) to identify the packaging.
The name and address of the manufacturer or importer.

The manufacturer or importer must include this information on the packaging. Check for yourself that this has been done.

4. Check your supplier

Do you buy packaged goods or resell them? If so, you must check the following:

Does the packaging have the correct label?
Are the manufacturer’s name and address stated on the packaging?
Does the packaging have a declaration of conformity?

5. Use up your old packaging

Do you still have old packaging that does not meet the new requirements? If so, you may continue to use it, provided it was placed on the market before 12 August 2026. Packaging is defined as having been placed on the market as soon as a manufacturer or importer delivers it for the first time within the EU, for example to a shop or wholesaler.

How to prepare for rules coming into force later

More new rules will be introduced in phases. Get ready now with these practical steps:

Document how you manage packaging and why you make certain choices. This will help you show that you follow the rules – for example, to the ILT, customers and suppliers.
Keep a record of how much packaging you use and what materials it is made from.
Use as little material as possible. Packaging must not be larger or heavier than is necessary to properly protect and transport a product.
Take a critical look at the packaging you use to ship orders. From 2030, the empty space in a shipping box must not exceed 50%. Packing material also counts as empty space.
Sell your product as a refill, where possible. Your customer will then bring their own container or packaging.
Choose reusable or recyclable packaging, such as cardboard or types of plastic that are easy to recycle. From 2030, there will be more recycling requirements. Plastic packaging must then be made partly from recycled plastic.
Make sure customers know how and where to dispose of the packaging. Standardised symbols will be introduced for this purpose. These are likely to be announced by the end of 2026.
Check whether you need to register in the countries where you use packaging. In the Netherlands, you do this via Verpact. You declare to Verpact how much packaging you use and cooperate with the collection and recycling of packaging waste. Do you use more than 50,000 kg of packaging material per year? If so, you will pay a waste contribution to Verpact for the collection and recycling of packaging. From 2028, this will also apply if you use less packaging.
Work with suppliers and recyclers when choosing materials and designing packaging. This will help you prepare better for the new requirements.
See also the Verpact timeline (PDF, in Dutch) for an overview of all obligations.

Stay up to date with the new rules

The PPWR will be phased in over several years. We will update this page as new rules are finalised so you will know in good time what your business needs to do.

The rules are complex and it is not always easy to work out exactly what applies to your situation. Do you have any questions about this? Sector organisation Verpact can help you. You can also check out the European Commission’s FAQs.