Nearly half of the companies overestimate their own level of implementation of the new EU packaging regulation (PPWR). This result comes from a joint survey by the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML, the software developer Logistikbude, and the Stiftung Initiative Mehrweg (SIM). The survey, however, also emphasizes the opportunities for change: those who act early are not only future-proof in their positioning, but can also gain a market advantage. This is stated in a joint press release by the three partners.
With the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), Europe is reorienting the rules for packaging. From 2030 on it will be binding — with noticeable effects
on transparency, reuse and traceability along the entire supply chain.
"It affects not only manufacturers and retailers, but also has a direct impact on logistics. Proofs, data quality and clear responsibilities will become indispensable," says Lukas Lehmann, co-editor of the survey and team leader of packaging logistics at Fraunhofer IML.
The stocktaking, according to the three partners, shows clear gaps. Only one in ten companies meets basic prerequisites. At the same time, more than 70 percent want concrete guidance, especially in the form of understandable guidelines, personal guidance and training. The greatest lever is knowledge: companies with a high level of knowledge achieve on average an implementation rate of 59
percent, with low knowledge it is 36 percent.
As the biggest obstacles, respondents cite the time required, the uncertainty about feasibility and the expected costs. Operationally, the involvement of business partners and insufficient data quality slow things down — these are also entry points for more efficiency and innovation, for example through digital reusable packaging strategies, robust data flows and modernized packaging processes.
"As long as official guidelines are missing, many companies wait. But precisely because of that, valuable time is lost. Companies should now lay the foundations: clean data foundations, clear responsibilities and transparency in the packaging portfolio. Those who tackle this early can not only meet the PPWR
— but also derive real advantages from it," says Lehmann.
At the European trade fair for packaging, technology and processes FACHPACK (September 23–25, 2025, Nuremberg), visitors have the opportunity to inform themselves and exchange at the publishers' stands. Logistikbude and the Stiftung Initiative Mehrweg also offer companies at their stands a self-check, where they can assess themselves and compare themselves with other companies.
The "PPWR Mood Index German Economy 2025" is based on an anonymized online survey of 90 companies from the areas of trade, production, logistics, as well as packaging and pooling (predominantly B2B). It links self-assessment with verifiable criteria such as responsibilities, robust data quality, documented measures and
