Millions of Dutch customers could be affected when a new obligation comes into effect in supermarkets starting August 12.
A notable change is on the horizon in European supermarkets. From August 12, new rules will come into effect that could affect millions of consumers.
In the near future, customers may start seeing increasingly clear changes on supermarket shelves and in online stores, as manufacturers must adapt to a range of new requirements.
Behind the changes stands the European Union, which wants to tackle a growing problem. According to the European Commission, every EU citizen produces an average of nearly 190 kilos of a certain type of waste per year. Without additional measures, there are fears in Brussels that this amount will only increase further in the coming years.
With the introduction of the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, better known as the PPWR, and the Dutch Packaging Implementation Act, the requirements for manufacturers, supermarkets, and online retailers are changing drastically.
The goal is, among other things, to reduce the amount of packaging waste, improve recycling, and limit the use of harmful substances in packaging.
One of the most notable changes takes effect on August 12. From that moment on, packaging must in principle be as small and light as possible.
This means that manufacturers are no longer allowed to use unnecessarily large packaging. As a result, a large box containing a relatively small product could be seen on shelves less and less frequently.
Goal to reduce packaging waste
With this, the EU aims, among other things, to put an end to so-called ‘air packaging’, where products are sold in boxes or bags that are far too large. Furthermore, from 2030, a maximum empty space of 50 percent applies to transport and shipping packaging.
It must also become easier to make packaging recyclable in the future. Producers will be required to adapt packaging designs accordingly.
In addition, certain harmful chemical substances, including PFAS in specific food packaging, are being further restricted. With this, the EU aims to prevent these substances from entering the environment and making recycling more difficult.
For consumers, not everything will immediately undergo a drastic overhaul on August 12. For example, the well-known European pictograms indicating how packaging should be disposed of or recycled have not yet been fully finalized.
The European Commission is still working on this; it is expected that these uniform labels will become mandatory from August 2028 at the earliest. Until then, the existing national symbols will continue to be used.
Recycling targets will also be further tightened in the coming years. From 2028, collection systems within the EU must recycle, among other things, 75 percent of all plastic packaging and 95 percent of aluminium and steel packaging.
This is intended to ensure that more raw materials are reused and less waste is incinerated. Responsibilities for companies are also changing, as manufacturers and importers must be able to demonstrate that their packaging complies with the new European requirements.
Uniform labels only mandatory in two years
Moreover, they remain financially responsible for the collection and processing of packaging waste in the country where their products are ultimately sold. In the Netherlands, little will change for consumers for the time being regarding the way waste is separated.
However, packaging is likely to become smaller, easier to recycle, and consist more often of recycled materials in the coming years. The number of single-use packages may also gradually decrease as the EU focuses more strongly on reusable alternatives.
Most obligations will not be introduced all at once, but will be phased in over several years.
As a result, consumers will see the changes reflected step by step while grocery shopping and with online orders.
