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PPWR: the EU packaging rules that hit online sellers on 12 August 2026
By Karim El Achaq, founder of EUReady · Last updated: 6 July 2026
- The PPWR (Regulation (EU) 2025/40) becomes applicable on 12 August 2026 in every EU member state, replacing the old Packaging Directive.
- The change that hits online sellers first: packaging EPR registration is required in every EU country where you ship, and non-EU sellers need an authorised representative in each of them.
- Amazon starts verifying EPR registration numbers for every EU country on the same date, with listing deactivation or paid enrollment in Pay on Behalf for sellers without numbers.
- Famous rules like the 50% empty-space limit only apply from 1 January 2030, not 2026. Do not let a scary LinkedIn post rush you into the wrong work.
What is the PPWR?
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40 is the EU law that replaces the 1994 Packaging Directive. It entered into force on 11 February 2025 and becomes applicable on 12 August 2026. Because it is a regulation, it applies directly in all 27 member states without national transposition, which removes the patchwork that let distance sellers slip through.
It regulates the packaging itself (recyclability, labelling, minimization) on a long timeline to 2030, but the parts that hit online sellers in 2026 are about registration and accountability, not box design.
What actually changes for online sellers on 12 August 2026?
Three things: EPR registration everywhere you ship, an authorised representative requirement for non-EU sellers, and marketplace verification. Everything else on the PPWR timeline lands in 2027 or later.
- EPR registration in every member state where your packaging ends up. Packaging EPR already existed in every EU country under national law, but enforcement against foreign online sellers was concentrated in Germany, France and Spain. The PPWR makes the obligations uniform and explicitly covers distance sellers: if you ship packaged goods to consumers in a country, you are a producer there.
- An authorised representative for fulfilment of EPR obligations in each member state where you sell at a distance without being established. This is a separate role from your GPSR responsible person.
- Marketplace verification. Amazon has told sellers it will verify EPR registration numbers for every EU country where their products are distributed from 12 August 2026 (previously it checked Germany, France and Spain). Missing numbers mean listing deactivation per country or automatic enrollment in Amazon's paid Pay on Behalf program. Where Amazon leads, other channels follow.
Also applicable from August 2026: a Declaration of Conformity with technical documentation per packaging type, and the ban on PFAS in food-contact packaging.
Which countries should you register in first?
Start with the countries where you actually ship volume. For most non-EU stores that means Germany and France first (they also enforce hardest today), then the rest of your top markets.
| Country | Where you register (packaging) | Notes for online sellers |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | LUCID register (ZSVR) + a dual system contract | Required before your first sale; marketplaces verify. See our LUCID guide. |
| France | An eco-organisation (Citeo for household packaging) + ADEME unique identifier | The IDU must appear in your legal notices. See our Citeo guide. |
| Spain | Producer register + eco-organisation (e.g. Ecoembes) | Verified by Amazon since 2023. |
| Italy | CONAI | Contribution based on packaging material and weight. |
| Netherlands | Verpact | Formerly Afvalfonds Verpakkingen. |
| Austria | Registration + a collection scheme (e.g. ARA) | Non-EU distance sellers already need an authorised representative. |
| Belgium | Fost Plus (household packaging) | |
| Poland | BDO register |
The pattern is the same everywhere: register (directly or via an eco-organisation), report the packaging weight you place on that market, pay fees based on material and weight. The painful part is doing it several times in several languages, which is why authorised representative and EPR service providers exist.
What does NOT change in August 2026?
The packaging design rules arrive later, and they are the source of most of the panic content online. The 50% empty-space limit for e-commerce packaging applies from 1 January 2030. Harmonized material labels apply from 12 August 2028. Recyclability grades apply from 1 January 2030. We keep a full dated list in PPWR dates, debunked and in our deadlines calendar.
What should a Shopify seller do before 12 August 2026?
- Map your shipped volume by EU country for the last 12 months.
- Verify your existing registrations (LUCID number still valid? French IDU published in your legal notices?).
- Register in your remaining volume countries, directly or through an EPR service provider.
- If you sell on Amazon too, enter your EPR numbers in Seller Central before 12 August to avoid deactivation or Pay on Behalf surcharges.
- Keep packaging weight data per order. Every scheme asks for annual (sometimes quarterly) weight reports, and reconstructing a year of parcels after the fact is miserable. EUReady prepares LUCID and Citeo volume reports from your Shopify order data automatically.
Change log
- 5 July 2026: page published, 38 days before the PPWR applies. Watching: national registry updates and marketplace policy emails; this page is updated as verification rolls out.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the PPWR the same thing as EPR?
No. EPR (extended producer responsibility) is the principle that producers pay for the waste their packaging creates; every EU country already runs EPR schemes. The PPWR is the new EU regulation that harmonizes those schemes, extends them explicitly to distance sellers and adds packaging design rules on a 2026-2030 timeline.
I am a small seller. Does the PPWR really apply to me?
Yes. There is no general small-seller exemption for EPR registration. If you ship packaged goods to consumers in a country, you are a producer there. Fees scale with your volumes, so small sellers pay little, but registration itself is required.
Do I need an authorised representative in every EU country?
If you are not established in the EU and sell at a distance, the PPWR requires an authorised representative for EPR purposes in the member states where you sell. In practice you appoint providers country by country, starting with your real shipping destinations.
Is my GPSR responsible person the same as the PPWR authorised representative?
No, they are different roles under different laws. Some service providers offer both, but appointing a GPSR responsible person does not cover your packaging EPR duties.
Does the 50% empty-space rule apply in August 2026?
No. The empty-space ratio limit for grouped, transport and e-commerce packaging applies from 1 January 2030. In August 2026 the changes are about EPR registration, authorised representatives, the Declaration of Conformity and the PFAS ban in food-contact packaging.
Official sources
This guide is general information for online sellers, based on publicly available EU legislation. It is not legal advice. Regulations evolve and national rules differ: for decisions that matter to your business, confirm with a qualified professional or the official sources linked above.