Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste: what it means for Retail & Consumer Goods

to update the EU legislative framework for packaging and packaging waste. PROPOSED ACT: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council. BACKGROUND: packaging is necessary to protect and to transport goods. The manufacturing of packaging is also a major economic activity in the EU. However, regulatory approaches differ from one Member State to another, which creates obstacles that prevent the internal market for packaging from fully functioning.…

Read the full Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste explainer →

Consumer-goods and retail businesses must comply with EU rules on product safety, labelling, packaging and consumer protection across all member states. These are the key acts.

Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste sits in that rulebook because its subject matter covers packaging and packaging waste. Whether — and how — it applies to a given business depends on that business’s activities, products and markets.

The act’s summary is the European Parliament’s own procedure record; the sector connection is the act’s stated subject matter. Lex shows the law and the grounded connection — not legal advice. Data © European Union (Decision 2011/833/EU). Methodology.