PPWR: what must I do about reusable transport packaging?
Adopted 2026-06-14 · ≈ 1 min read · 
edited by Dirk Baaijen
Under the PPWR (Regulation (EU) 2025/40), transport packaging faces new rules: from 12 Aug 2026 e-commerce parcels may hold max 40% empty space, void space drops to 50% from 2030, plus reuse targets. It applies directly, with no national transposition.
Short answer: Prepare for transport and industrial packaging to meet PPWR reusability targets, recyclability requirements and limits on empty space. The regulation applies directly across the EU; no national transposition is needed.
What the PPWR means for transport packaging
The PPWR is Regulation (EU) 2025/40. It entered into force on 11 February 2025 and applies from 12 August 2026. Because it is a regulation, it has direct effect: you do not need to wait for a national law and cannot rely on a divergent national implementation.
For transport and industrial packaging, the PPWR introduces reusability targets. In addition, there are requirements on recyclability and on the share of recycled content in packaging. This affects everyone who packs, ships or receives goods within a logistics chain.
The concrete dates and limits
Keep two firm empty-space limits in mind:
- From 12 August 2026, e-commerce parcels may contain a maximum of 40% empty space.
- From 2030, void space in transport and shipment packaging is capped at no more than 50%.
In addition, transport and industrial packaging is expected to meet reusability targets, and packaging must be recyclable and contain an increasing share of recycled content.
What you can do now
Map which packaging you use and how much empty space it holds, especially for e-commerce. Investigate where reusable transport packaging can replace your single-use packaging, and align this with suppliers and logistics partners. Record how recyclable your packaging is and what share of recycled content it contains, so you can demonstrate this in good time.
Start with the parcels and flows that carry the largest volumes; that is where the empty-space limits have the greatest impact.
Read the main file: PPWR and packaging in logistics. Or take the Transport & Logistics scan.
Sources
- https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/40/oj
Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR); applicable from 12 August 2026.
Read next
When does the PPWR apply and what should I do now?
The PPWR (Regulation (EU) 2025/40) entered into force on 11 February 2025 and applies from 12 August 2026. From then, empty space in e-commerce parcels is capped at 40%; void space in transport packaging must stay below 50% from 2030.
What is the 40% rule for e-commerce parcels (PPWR)?
The PPWR 40% rule (Regulation (EU) 2025/40) limits the empty space in an e-commerce parcel to a maximum of 40% from 12 August 2026. As a regulation it applies directly, without national transposition.
PPWR: the packaging regulation reshapes your logistics
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR, Regulation (EU) 2025/40) applies from 12 August 2026: stricter packaging requirements, a cap on empty space in e-commerce parcels (max 40%) and reuse targets for transport packaging. What that means for logistics and fulfilment.