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Letter to Agriculture Ministers | Debunking false arguments on food waste and on health & hygiene risks

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Letter to Agriculture Ministers | Debunking false arguments on food waste and on health & hygiene risks

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How renewable is fibre sourcing for paper packaging in Europe? 

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How renewable is fibre sourcing for paper packaging in Europe? 

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FACTSHEET | Paper packaging industry myth busting

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FACTSHEET | Paper packaging industry myth busting

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POSITION PAPER | Rethink Plastic alliance: feedback on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation proposal

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POSITION PAPER | Rethink Plastic alliance: feedback on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation proposal

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European response to criticism of the PPWR proposal | Measures to promote reuse will not endanger investments made in recycling

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European response to criticism of the PPWR proposal | Measures to promote reuse will not endanger investments made in recycling

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POSITION PAPER | Packaging Reuse - Maximising the Benefits

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POSITION PAPER | Packaging Reuse - Maximising the Benefits

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This photo can be used to depict a future where reusable packaging is the norm. Credits: Rethink Plastic Alliance

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📸 Reuse in Action | Photo depicting the use of reusable packaging in the take-away sector. 

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📸 Reuse in Action | Photo depicting the use of reusable packaging in the take-away sector. 

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JOINT STATEMENT | The EU must take more ambitious action on toxic chemicals in packaging, and the PPWR is a good opportunity to do so

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JOINT STATEMENT | The EU must take more ambitious action on toxic chemicals in packaging, and the PPWR is a good opportunity to do so

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POLICY BRIEFING | Food packaging: safety first. Towards toxic-free and future-proof packaging

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POLICY BRIEFING | Food packaging: safety first. Towards toxic-free and future-proof packaging

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Policy Engagement Overview on EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation | InfluenceMap

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Policy Engagement Overview on EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation | InfluenceMap

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Policy Overview

On 30 November 2022, the Commission proposed a revision of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD), the key policy of the European Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) which aims to reduce the amount of packaging and packaging waste in the EU. This review builds on the 1994 Packaging Waste Directive and the first update of the policy in 2018. The legislation proposes targets and mandates, packaging design requirements and measures aimed at end-use to reduce packaging waste, to increase reuse and to scale-up recycling.

Policy at Risk

After predominantly negative engagement from cross-sector industry associations, the consumer products sector and the chemical industry in 2020-23, notably following the leak of a draft of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) revision in October 2022, the EU Commission's ambition for the policy was weakened. Reuse targets are at a significant risk of being weakened further in the Parliament and Council positions, following a ramp up of opposition from the plastics and paper packaging industries, as well as the consumer goods sector.

InfluenceMap Query

Energy and Resource Efficiency

Policy Status

Under consideration: first reading in EU Parliament and Council

EU Parliament Committee: Environment (ENVI) Committee

Rapporteur: Frédérique RIES (Renew, Belgium)

EU Council: Environment Council

Evidence Profile

17 42 10 11 1

Key

◼ opposing ◼ not supporting ◼ mixed/unclear

◼ supporting ◼ strongly supporting

European Commission

Policy Engagement Overview

The aggregated evidence of corporate and industry lobbying on the review of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive shows intense, negative engagement from consumer products sector industry associations, the chemical industry and the packaging sector. Actors across EU industry supported some waste management and recycling measures.

Long-term Lobbying Trends

Cross-sector industry associations opposed the revision of the PPWR, including the Confederation of Italian Industries (Confindustria), the French Business Federation (Medef), the Federation of German Industries (BDI), and BusinessEurope. Other actors across the EU economy welcomed the Commission's proposal to review the Directive, including Nestlé, Danone, Lego and EuroCommerce.

EU industry opposed specific measures on waste generation reduction. Most of the consumer goods, chemical and packaging industries including L'Oréal, FoodDrinkEurope, the European Dairy Association, LyondellBasell Industries, Sappi, the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) and Amazon opposed waste reduction targets. However, waste management measures such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) were strongly supported across EU industry, including companies Coca-Cola, Amazon and Henkel.

Reuse measures were opposed across the EU economy by the chemical, packaging and consumer goods sector, including industry associations PlasticsEurope, CEPI, and EuroCommerce and companies Amazon, Stora Enso and DuPont. Actors seemed to prioritize recycling over measures to reduce or reuse packaging, including Cefic, Henkel, Tetra Pak and Coca-Cola. However, Unilever and Nestlé supported reuse and refill measures alongside ambitious proposals to scale up recycling.

Plastic recycled content targets were supported by PlasticsEurope and consumer-goods companies Unilever, Danone and Nestlé. However, the chemical sector, including companies Eastman Chemical, BASF, and industry association Cefic, advocated that the targets take a flexible mass balance approach to recycled content, which would replace a traceability-based method of calculating the recycled material as it moves through the supply chain.

The non-plastic packaging industry opposed recycled content targets such as Stora Enso and CEPI, and cross-sector association EuroCommerce.

Measures to reduce unnecessary packaging were broadly not supported by key sectors including Stora Enso Amazon, FoodDrinkEurope, and PepsiCo.

The chemical sector did not support measures to increase the recyclability of plastic packaging, such as reducing the complexity of polymers in plastic packaging and provisions on hazardous substances. Opposition originated from actors including PlasticsEurope, Henkel and CEFIC, and both the consumer goods and chemical sectors, such as BASF and FoodDrinkEurope, advocated against banning certain materials.

Since the EU Commission's 2022 Proposal

Industry associations opposed banning types of packaging, including PlasticsEurope, BusinessEurope and the European Dairy Association, emphasizing economic feasibility.

Some actors advocated for a company level approach to space minimization, including Amazon and BusinessEurope, which supported a mass balance approach to space minimization targets and supporting excluding small items.

The consumer goods sector and related industry associations increased active opposition to reuse targets, including BusinessEurope, FoodDrinkEurope, Copa-Cogeca and company McDonald's, which advocated for exemptions from reuse targets and to delay the PPWR review.

Paper packaging companies advocated for single use paper packaging over the EU Commission's targets to scale up reuse. Stora Enso and Sappi, and industry association CEPI stated that mandating reuse targets would have a higher environmental impact than recyclable single-use fibre-based packaging.

The chemical, consumer goods and plastic packaging industries strongly advocated for a flexible mass balance approach using chemical recycling to achieve recycled content targets, not previously included in the EU Commission proposal. This included key actors Dupont, Cefic, FoodDrinkEurope, Henkel, Plastics Europe and the Flexible Packaging Initiative whose members include Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Unilever.

Impacts on Policy Ambition

By considering the potential scenarios in the EU Commission's original Impact Assessment Report for the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, and comparing this to the final proposal, a gauge of the impact of industry lobbying can be taken. In this case, intense engagement from the chemical, packaging and consumer products industries appears to correlate to the adoption of several weaker positions by the EU Commission.

EU Commission Proposal

Waste prevention targets: The Commission proposed a target for Member States to reduce packaging waste by 5% per capita by 2030, by 10% per capita by 2035, and by 15% per capita by 2040, compared to 2018, which corresponds to the middle ambition option considered in the impact assessment of the policy. The leaked draft's ambition was maintained despite opposition from cross-sector industry associations.

Unnecessary packaging minimization: The proposal set a phase out of unnecessary packaging by 2030, as well as a threshold for empty space in packaging in selected sectors, including e-commerce. However, the most ambitious measure set out in the initial impact assessment, a ban by 2030 of heaviest packaging for selected items based on existing lighter alternatives, was not in the final proposal.

Reusable packaging and re-fill targets: The EU Commission proposed targets for re-fill and reusable packaging for consumer goods, including food, beverages and large household appliances, which were weakened after intense engagement from packaging manufacturers and the consumer goods sector following the leak of a draft proposal.

Recyclable packaging and recycled content targets: The Commission proposed that all packaging must be recyclable, with all packaging to be designed for recycling by 2030, and to be recycled at scale by 2035. However, 2030 targets for recycled content for plastic packaging were weakened. A bid by the chemical sector to include a mass-balance approach to recycled content in the regulation itself was unsuccessful, but it could still be included in an implementing act which is expected to be published by 2026 in order to establish methodologies for calculating recycled content.

Recyclability of packaging materials: Provisions regarding packaging complexity and a ban on substances of concern which inhibit recyclability were not included in the Commission's proposal, echoing industry calls for these measures to be left out of the revised regulation.

InfluenceMap Query

Energy and Resource Efficiency

Policy Status

Under consideration: first reading in EU Parliament and Council

EU Parliament Committee: Environment (ENVI) Committee

Rapporteur: Frédérique RIES (Renew, Belgium)

EU Council: Environment Council

Evidence Profile

17 42 10 11 1

Key

◼ opposing ◼ not supporting ◼ mixed/unclear

◼ supporting ◼ strongly supporting

European Commission

Entities Engaged on Policy

The table below lists the entities found to be most engaged with the policy. The entities are ranked by performance band. InfluenceMap tracks over 500 companies and 250 industry associations globally. Each entity name links to its full InfluenceMap profile, where the evidence of its engagement can be found.

Influencemap Performance Band

Organization

Engagement Intensity

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EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation

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An independent think tank producing data-driven analysis on how business and finance are impacting the climate crisis

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JRC ANALYSIS | Environmental Analysis of Reuse Scenarios

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JRC ANALYSIS | Environmental Analysis of Reuse Scenarios

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FACTSHEET | Debunking common myths about food hygiene, food waste, and health concerns related to reusable packaging

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FACTSHEET | Debunking common myths about food hygiene, food waste, and health concerns related to reusable packaging

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REPORT | Is Net Zero Enough for the Material Production Sector? 

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REPORT | Is Net Zero Enough for the Material Production Sector? 

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OPEN LETTER | Well-designed reuse systems as a driver of packaging waste prevention

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OPEN LETTER | Well-designed reuse systems as a driver of packaging waste prevention

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FACTSHEET | 7 reasons why reusable takeaway packaging is a sustainable alternative for climate protection and resource conservation

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FACTSHEET | 7 reasons why reusable takeaway packaging is a sustainable alternative for climate protection and resource conservation

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REPORT | Disposable Paper-based Food Packaging. The false solution to the packaging waste crisis

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REPORT | Disposable Paper-based Food Packaging. The false solution to the packaging waste crisis

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ANALYSIS | Realising Reuse. The Potential for Scaling up Reusable Packaging, and Policy Recommendations

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ANALYSIS | Realising Reuse. The Potential for Scaling up Reusable Packaging, and Policy Recommendations

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POLICY BRIEFING | What the EU can do to support the grocery retail sector in reducing packaging and plastic pollution

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POLICY BRIEFING | What the EU can do to support the grocery retail sector in reducing packaging and plastic pollution

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REPORT | A Just Transition to Reusable Packaging. Necessary conditions, benefits and best practice.

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REPORT | A Just Transition to Reusable Packaging. Necessary conditions, benefits and best practice.

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READ how the European Parliament can make reuse a reality!

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READ how the European Parliament can make reuse a reality!

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LEARN MORE on the #WeChooseReuse website!

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LEARN MORE on the #WeChooseReuse website!

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Sign the Commitment Imagine a world with Reuse Systems Your groceries are delivered to your door. The bottles and containers are picked up for reuse. You can easily refill your beauty products and household cleaning supplies when they are empty.

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CARTOON | Paper packaging requires cutting down trees and damaging forests

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CARTOON | Paper packaging requires cutting down trees and damaging forests

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POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS | NGO perspectives on the urgent need to reduce paper packaging

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POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS | NGO perspectives on the urgent need to reduce paper packaging