+34 603 445 673
The European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), officially Regulation EU 2025/40, enters into application today, August 12, 2026. From this date, any company placing packaged products on the market in the European Union must be able to demonstrate, with documentation, that its packaging complies.
For the cosmetics sector, this directly affects design, labeling, materials, and supplier relationships. And although the Regulation will be phased in progressively through 2030, the obligations that take effect today call for an immediate response. At Cosmeservice, we have spent months helping cosmetics brands reach this date with a clear plan, from the initial assessment through to implementing the measures needed to ensure regulatory compliance.
What the PPWR requires from cosmetics brands
The PPWR (Regulation EU 2025/40) introduces concrete obligations covering:
- Eco-design and packaging minimization, avoiding empty space and unnecessary materials.
- Technically demonstrable recyclability, not merely declared on the packaging.
- A minimum percentage of recycled content in plastic packaging, with thresholds increasing through 2040.
- Restrictions on substances of concern, including all PFAS.
- Harmonized waste sorting labeling, with implementing acts expected in 2026 and mandatory application by around 2028.
- A Declaration of Conformity (DoC) and the supporting technical documentation.
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), with registration and reporting in every Member State where the product is placed on the market.
- A ban on single-use miniatures (individual packs of up to 50 ml or 100 g) for single-use hygiene and cosmetic products in the hospitality sector, effective January 1, 2030 (Article 25 and Annex V of the PPWR).
It is not enough to state that a package is recyclable, it must be technically justified to customers, distributors, and authorities, on a reference-by-reference basis. The scope of the PPWR is broad, as it is not limited to the primary packaging seen by the consumer: it also covers secondary and transport packaging, which multiplies the number of references that need to be reviewed across a typical cosmetics portfolio.
The European Commission has recently published its own frequently asked questions on the PPWR, prepared by the Directorate-General for Environment. It’s a good starting point for understanding the Regulation in detail; but translating those answers into your specific packaging portfolio is precisely the work we do at Cosmeservice.
Who is affected?
It affects every player in the chain. If you are a brand, you are responsible for demonstrating compliance for every reference in your portfolio. If you are a manufacturer, you must adapt materials, processes, and specifications, and provide that information to your customers. If you are a distributor, you are accountable for what you place on the market, even if you don’t manufacture it yourself. And if your company is not established in the EU but sells directly to European consumers, you may also need an authorized representative for certain obligations.
How Cosmeservice helps you ensure regulatory compliance
We have developed a dedicated end-to-end service; you can review it on our website.
START – Preliminary packaging assessment.
We analyze your entire packaging portfolio to identify which PPWR requirements apply to each reference, evaluate your portfolio, and deliver a tailored roadmap and compliance budget.CERTIFY – PPWR compliance package.
We prepare all the necessary technical and regulatory documentation, including a draft EU Declaration of Conformity, resulting in a PPWR Compliance Pack ready for audits, customers, and authorities. Signing the Declaration remains the manufacturer’s responsibility.PARTNER – Annual monitoring and authorized representative.
We keep you up to date on new PPWR guidelines and future obligations, and can act as your authorized representative before European authorities when required.
We don’t just interpret the regulation, we turn it into an operational plan you can execute without slowing down your business, backed by the technical and documentary support that customers, distributors, and authorities are already asking for today.
If you want to know exactly how Regulation EU 2025/40 could affect your products, complete our contact form or write to us at info@cosmeservice.com.
FAQs
When does the PPWR come into application?
The Regulation has been in force since 2025, but the key date is today, August 12, 2026, the day on which the main requirements start to apply. Others, such as harmonized labeling, will be phased in through 2028, and recycling targets through 2030.
Does it affect all cosmetic packaging?
Yes. It applies to all packaging placed on the EU market, regardless of material, format, or production volume.
Do I need a Declaration of Conformity?
In most cases, yes. And an increasing number of customers and retailers are requesting it even before it becomes a legal requirement, as a condition for keeping the product listed.
What happens if I sell through distributors?
You remain responsible for ensuring your packaging complies, even if you don’t manage final distribution yourself.
Is it true that single-use cosmetic miniatures will no longer be allowed in hotels?
Yes, but not from August 2026: the ban on single-use miniatures (up to 50 ml or 100 g) for the hospitality sector takes effect on January 1, 2030, under Article 25 and Annex V of the PPWR. It’s a date worth having on your radar now, since redesigning these formats takes development time.
Where should my company start?
With an initial assessment of your packaging portfolio with Cosmeservice. It’s the only way to know, reference by reference, what already complies and what needs to be adapted as soon as possible, now that the Regulation is already in force.
