Ensure at least 40% of transport packaging -- pallets, foldable plastic boxes, trays, crates, IBCs, pails, drums, canisters, pallet wrappings and straps -- is reusable within a re-use system, rising to an endeavour of 70% from 2040.
Economic operators using transport packaging in the Union must comply, and this is law in force.
Why it matters
This is law in force, not a proposal.
- It is Art. 29(1), in the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. as of 2026-08-18
- The act gives its timing as: From 1 January 2030; 70% endeavour from 1 January 2040 (Art. 29(1)). as of 2026-08-18
- It names 2 industries by name: Retail and Food and drink. as of 2026-08-18
- Compliance is checked by competent authority, on the Art. 31 report, annual, per calendar year. as of 2026-08-18
What changes
Manufacturing and distribution across every sector that ships on pallets. Genuinely new: 94/62/EC set no re-use targets at all -- its Art. 5 merely permitted Member States to encourage re-use. Art. 29(4) excludes dangerous-goods packaging, custom packaging for large machinery, flexible food-contact transport packaging, and cardboard boxes.
The rule
use of transport or transport-purpose sales packaging within the Union
Ensure at least 40% of transport packaging -- pallets, foldable plastic boxes, trays, crates, IBCs, pails, drums, canisters, pallet wrappings and straps -- is reusable within a re-use system, rising to an endeavour of 70% from 2040.
Who is affected
Burden drivers
Art. 29(13) exempts an operator that in a calendar year both made available not more than 1 000 kg of packaging in the Member State and falls within the micro-enterprise definition in Recommendation 2003/361/EC. Both limbs must be met. An eligibility carve-out on this duty, not a separate benefit.
Source text
economic operators that use transport packaging, or sales packaging used for transporting products, including for products distributed via e-commerce, within the territory of the Union, in the form of pallets, foldable-plastic boxes, boxes, trays, plastic crates, intermediate bulk containers, pails, drums and canisters of any size or material, including flexible formats or pallet wrappings or straps for stabilisation and protection of products put on pallets during transport, shall ensure that at least 40 % of such packaging in total is reusable packaging within a re-use system.
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