Packaging decisions are becoming more complex for food retailers, prepared-food operators and packaging buyers across Europe.
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is introducing new expectations around material safety, traceability, recyclability and documentation. For companies selling packaged food into the European market, packaging is therefore becoming more than a question of presentation, protection and cost.
Regulation (EU) 2025/40 begins applying from August 12, 2026, while a number of additional requirements will continue to develop toward 2030.
For retailers and food brands, this means packaging compliance increasingly needs to be considered during sourcing and product development rather than checked only after a packaging format has already been selected.
PFAS Restrictions Are Changing Material Decisions
One of the most immediate issues affecting food-contact packaging is the restriction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS.
PFAS have been used in certain packaging applications because they can provide resistance to grease and moisture. Under PPWR, however, food-contact packaging placed on the EU market will be subject to strict thresholds.
From August 12, 2026, packaging cannot contain PFAS at or above:
- 25 ppb for an individual PFAS compound;
- 250 ppb for the total amount of listed PFAS compounds;
- 50 ppm for total fluorine, including polymeric PFAS.
For packaging buyers, the challenge is not limited to identifying materials where PFAS were deliberately added.
Coatings, adhesives, raw materials and recycled content may also need to be evaluated. As a result, clearer supplier documentation and better material transparency are becoming increasingly important parts of packaging procurement.
Retail Packaging Has to Balance More Than Sustainability
Replacing a material or removing a component does not automatically create a better packaging system.
Food packaging still has to protect the product, perform reliably during transport, work efficiently on packing lines and maintain an appropriate presentation when the product reaches the retail shelf or prepared-food counter.
A packaging format that improves one sustainability metric but performs poorly during handling or storage may create other problems, including product damage or food waste.
This is why packaging development is increasingly moving toward a system-level approach.
Instead of considering material choice, lid design, tray geometry, transport performance and end-of-life characteristics separately, packaging developers are being pushed to consider how these factors interact.
For supermarkets, delis, sushi counters and takeaway operations, these decisions can directly affect both operational performance and the way food is presented to customers.
Structural Design Can Reduce Packaging Complexity
One area receiving increasing attention is the use of packaging structure itself to perform functions that would otherwise require additional materials.
For example, fresh meat and seafood trays may traditionally use absorbent pads, adhesives or other secondary components to manage liquid released during storage and transportation.
An alternative approach is to explore whether some of these functions can be supported through tray geometry, material distribution, drainage paths or separation features built directly into the packaging structure.
This approach is discussed in more detail in Manluen Pack’s article on how packaging structure can improve recyclability without sacrificing performance.
The same principle can apply to many rigid food packaging formats.
For products such as ready meals, deli foods and sushi trays, details including lid fit, stacking behaviour, internal geometry and material selection can influence both product protection and retail presentation.
This is particularly relevant in retail environments, where packaging must perform several roles at once: protecting food, supporting transport, stacking efficiently and presenting the product clearly to shoppers.
Rather than adding more materials every time a new performance requirement appears, structural design offers another route: building more functionality into the package itself.
Supplier Evaluation Is Becoming More Technical
PPWR is also likely to change the way retailers, distributors and food brands evaluate packaging suppliers.
Price, minimum order quantities and production capacity will remain important, but these factors may no longer be sufficient on their own.
Packaging suppliers will increasingly be expected to provide information relating to:
- material composition;
- testing and compliance documentation;
- traceability;
- production consistency;
- suitability for specific food applications.
For buyers, this means supplier selection is becoming more closely connected to regulatory risk management.
A packaging supplier is no longer providing only a physical tray, container or lid. The supplier may also need to provide the technical information that allows the buyer to understand whether the packaging remains appropriate for a particular market.
This places greater importance on communication between retailers, food brands and packaging manufacturers during the product development process.
Packaging Development Is Moving Closer to Compliance
PPWR reflects a wider change taking place across the packaging industry.
Material reduction and recyclability remain important, but future packaging decisions will increasingly need to balance several objectives at the same time: food safety, operational efficiency, product protection, regulatory compliance and recovery potential.
For retailers, this also means packaging development may need to become more collaborative.
Packaging buyers, product teams and suppliers may need to discuss regulatory requirements earlier, particularly when developing new formats for prepared foods, takeaway products or private-label ranges.
The result is a shift away from treating compliance as a final checkpoint.
Instead, regulatory requirements are becoming part of the initial packaging design and sourcing process.
As these expectations continue to evolve, successful food packaging will depend not only on the material from which it is made, but also on how effectively the complete packaging system is designed, documented and managed throughout its lifecycle.
Terry Clark is the Publisher and Content Director of 365 Retail, with more than a decade of experience covering retail design, technology innovations, store openings and the wider retail industry. He also works closely with leading retailers, suppliers, agencies, events and industry awards across the UK.
