Transport packaging: reuse of pallet wrappings and straps

Draft Commission Delegated Decision supplementing Regulation (EU) 2025/40 of the European Parliament and of the Council by exempting certain economic operators that use pallet wrappings and straps from the 100% reuse requirements of these packaging formats [Download]

Update

The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) sets new rules to avoid and reduce packaging waste, and to stimulate reuse. From 1 January 2030, some types of transport packaging used within the European Union (EU) must be fully reusable.

This requirement applies to pallet wrappings and straps used to stabilise and protect products placed on pallets during transport. Reusable pallet wrappings and straps are already used for transporting some goods, but a complete transition to reusable types would require technologies that are not yet developed, and significant financial investment. To avoid disrupting supply chains and increasing costs, the European Commission proposes to exempt this type of transport packaging from its reuse targets.

The Commission is collecting feedback from operators on this proposal via its Have Your Say webpage until 9 January 2026.

What is changing?

From 1 January 2030, transport and sales packaging used for transporting products within the EU, including for products distributed via e-commerce, must be reusable. This requirement applies to the following packaging types:

• pallets
• foldable plastic boxes, boxes, trays, plastic crates
• intermediate bulk containers, pails, drums, and canisters of any size or material, including flexible formats
• pallet wrappings or straps for stabilisation and protection of products put on pallets during transport.

Operators must ensure that the total transport packaging unit (e.g. a pallet with boxes and pallet wrapping film) is reusable within a reuse system as follows:

• at least 40% of packaging reusable from 1 January 2030 (70% from 1 January 2040) [Regulation 2025/40 (PPWR), Art. 29(1)]
• (for EU operators) all packaging fully reusable within a reuse system from 1 January 2030 when it is used
  • between different EU sites where the operator is active, including sites of linked or partner enterprise (Art. 29(2))
  • to deliver products to another operator within the same EU Member State (Art. 29(3)).

This draft legislation proposes to exempt wrappings and straps used to stabilise and protect products placed on pallets during transport from these reuse targets.

Stakeholders are invited to submit their feedback via the European Commission’s Have Your Say webpage.

Why?

Reusable pallet wrappings and straps are already used to transport some goods. However, a complete transition to reusable formats could disrupt supply chains and involve costly adaptations. Transitioning to fully reusable pallet wrappings and straps involves high initial investments, and the development of automated solutions which are not sufficiently developed yet. Around 600,000 businesses in the EU would be affected, with estimated adaptation costs of €610 million (Eurostat 2025).

Timeline

This Regulation is scheduled for adoption in the fourth quarter of 2025/ first quarter of 2026.

What are the major implications for exporting countries?

The reuse targets concern the use of transport packaging within the EU, not the use of transport packaging from outside the European Union. However, the laws regarding packaging systems within the EU could potentially have indirect effects on non-EU suppliers.

Recommended Actions

Operators within and outside the EU can provide feedback via the European Commission’s Have Your Say webpage until 9 January 2026.

Stakeholders wishing to respond must be registered. Those who do not already have an account will first need to create an EU login account, then register their organisation on the EU Transparency register.

Background

New rules on packaging and packaging waste, including design and waste management, are set by the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation 2025/40 (PPWR). This Regulation aims to:

• avoid and reduce packaging waste, and stimulate reuse
• make all packaging on the EU market recyclable in an economically viable way
• increase the recycling of packaging materials, especially plastic, and their reuse.

The new rules set stricter sustainability, labelling, and conformity requirements on all food packaging. The rules will also apply to suppliers of packaged food to the EU market who are based outside the EU.

The regulations will apply from different dates (see New EU packaging rules explained).

Resources

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