Meet the 40-bags-per-capita ceiling in EVERY year after 2025, not only in 2025, and lose the alternative route of discharging the duty by ensuring bags are not supplied free of charge.
Member States must comply, and this is law in force.
Why it matters
This is law in force, not a proposal.
- It is Art. 34(1), second subparagraph, in the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. as of 2026-08-18
- The act gives its timing as: Each year from 31 December 2026 (Art. 34(1)). as of 2026-08-18
- It names one industry by name: Waste. as of 2026-08-18
- Compliance is checked by reporting to the Commission under Art. 56(1)(b), annual. as of 2026-08-18
What changes
This row is the DELTA only. The directive set 2025 as an endpoint; PPWR makes 40 a standing annual ceiling with no terminal date, and drops the alternative compliance route in Art. 4(1a)(b) under which a Member State could instead ensure bags were not supplied free of charge. Both are real new burdens on the Member State, so this row is `add` and renders Requirement. The 40 itself is BAG-02 and is unchanged.
Prior rule vs new rule
annual national consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags
Measures ensuring the annual consumption level does not exceed 90 lightweight plastic carrier bags per person by 31 December 2019 and 40 by 31 December 2025, or equivalent targets in weight -- a one-off endpoint with no obligation stated for the years after 2025.
annual national consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags
Consumption not to exceed 40 lightweight plastic carrier bags per capita by 31 December 2025 AND subsequently by 31 December each year thereafter.
Who is affected
Burden drivers
Binds a Member State, not a company by size.
Source text
A sustained reduction is considered to be achieved if the annual consumption does not exceed 40 lightweight plastic carrier bags per capita, or the equivalent target in weight, by 31 December 2025 and subsequently by 31 December each year thereafter.
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