Many companies overestimate their progress in implementing the new EU Packaging Regulation (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, PPWR). This is shown by a joint survey of the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML, the software company Logistikbude, and the Stiftung Initiative Mehrweg (SIM). Only ten percent of the surveyed companies already meet the basic requirements, although almost half rate their preparation as advanced.
SIM Managing Director Jens Oldenburg emphasizes the role of reusable systems in the B2B sector for achieving the PPWR's objectives:
"The PPWR links the two important themes of strengthening the Internal Market and the Green Deal. In particular, reusable systems in the B2B sector
play a central role in achieving the targets. Furthermore, it is necessary to outline the required framework conditions in Germany and Europe and to contribute to their implementation."
Reusability, transparency and traceability of packaging
The PPWR, which becomes mandatory from 2030, is intended to strengthen the reusability, transparency, and traceability of packaging along the supply chain. It affects not only manufacturers and retailers but also logistics. According to Lukas Lehmann, co-editor of the survey and head of packaging logistics at Fraunhofer IML, companies need robust data, clear responsibilities, and transparent processes:
"As long as official guidelines are missing, many companies are waiting. But precisely this wastes valuable time. Companies
should now lay the foundations: solid data foundations, clear responsibilities, and transparency in the packaging portfolio. Whoever tackles this early can not only comply with the PPWR—but also derive real benefits from it," says Lehmann.
The degree of implementation, according to the survey, is strongly dependent on the existing knowledge: with high knowledge it averages 59 percent, with low knowledge only 36 percent.
"We at Logistikbude view the PPWR from the perspective of operational practice: the requirements can only be implemented if companies have a robust data foundation on packaging, load carriers, and reusable processes. It is exactly at this interface—the intersection of data, transparency, and digital control—we bring
our logistics experience and show how software solutions can realistically and efficiently meet regulatory requirements," says Dr. Philipp Hüning, Co-Founder and CEO of Logistikbude GmbH.
PPWR Self-check offered at the FACHPACK 2025 trade fair in Nuremberg
The survey is based on the feedback from 90 companies from retail, manufacturing, logistics as well as packaging and pooling. It combines self-assessment with verifiable criteria such as existing responsibilities, documented measures and reusable concepts. Logistikbude and the Stiftung Initiative Mehrweg offer at the FACHPACK 2025 trade fair in Nuremberg a PPWR self-check to help companies assess their status. In addition, trade fair visitors can visit the publishers' stands to learn about and
