PPWR’s Reach Beyond the EU: 93 % of UK Manufacturers and Suppliers Report Impact

A survey of 200 British manufacturers and suppliers across non-food supply chains has found that 93 % have been affected or expect to be affected by the PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation) despite the regulation being an EU measure that does not directly apply in the UK. The research, conducted by Sapio Research on behalf of a logistics company named Advanced Supply Chain, covered sectors including homewares, fashion, consumer electronics and footwear.

The findings were published on 11 August 2026, only one day before the PPWR became generally applicable across the EU.

 

What the Survey Found

The breakdown of responses paints a picture of an industry in various stages of adaptation:

• 16 % have already changed their packaging to comply with the PPWR
• 39 % are currently making changes
• 32 % are reviewing and assessing their packaging formats
• 6 % expect to be affected but have not yet started
• Only 7 % reported that the PPWR will have no impact on their packaging

The fact that over half of UK businesses surveyed are already making or have completed packaging changes for an EU regulation reflects a practical reality: businesses that export to the EU need their packaging to comply with EU rules and many are choosing to standardize their packaging across both UK and EU markets rather than maintain separate formats. This approach simplifies logistics, controls costs and avoids the complexity of running two parallel packaging specifications.

The Compliance Challenge

One of the most significant observations to emerge from the survey is the gap between knowing that packaging needs to change and being able to prove that it meets the requirements. According to Advanced Supply Chain, the biggest practical challenge for UK businesses is demonstrating compliance with the PPWR. Knowing that a packaging format is recyclable is no longer sufficient. Businesses need accurate technical information on material composition, quantities and recyclability classifications and much of that information sits with their suppliers rather than in-house.

This echoes a challenge that EU-based producers are also facing. The PPWR requires a Declaration of Conformity and technical documentation for all packaging placed on the EU market from 12 August 2026. For UK businesses exporting to the EU, this means either obtaining the necessary documentation from their packaging suppliers or commissioning independent testing and assessment.

 

 

The UK’s Own Packaging Pressure: pEPR

The survey also highlights that UK businesses are not only adapting to EU rules but simultaneously managing the UK’s own packaging Extended Producer Responsibility scheme (pEPR), which has introduced new fees that shift the cost of managing packaging waste from local authorities to producers.

The pEPR findings are notable:

• 70 % of businesses reported increased repackaging requirements as a result of pEPR
• 47 % have seen growing levels of packaging waste
• 37 % reported that the scheme has led to increased packaging errors, further adding to waste volumes

From 2026 – 2027, pEPR fees are modulated based on recyclability. Packaging rated as poorly recyclable attracts a 1.2x fee multiplier, rising to 2.0x by 2028 – 2029. This fee structure creates a direct financial incentive to improve packaging recyclability, a parallel to the PPWR’s own EPR fee modulation provisions, which will apply across the EU as Member States implement the regulation.

The dual pressure of PPWR and pEPR is pushing UK businesses toward packaging strategies that prioritize recyclability, minimization and recycled content across both markets simultaneously. For businesses that export to the EU and sell domestically in the UK, the two regulatory frameworks are effectively converging in their practical demands, even though they are legally separate.

 

Implications Beyond the UK

The survey results have relevance beyond the UK market. If 93 % of British businesses, in a country that is no longer an EU Member State, report being affected by the PPWR, then the regulation’s practical reach clearly extends well beyond the 27 Member States it directly governs.

For packaging producers and suppliers globally, the implication is that the PPWR is becoming a de facto baseline standard, much as EU REACH did for chemical substances. Businesses that align their packaging with PPWR requirements early, regardless of where they are based, are likely to face fewer barriers as other markets develop their own packaging sustainability frameworks.

 

Conclusion

The Advanced Supply Chain survey provides early data on how the PPWR is shaping packaging decisions outside the EU. With 93 % of UK businesses reporting impact and over half already making or having completed changes, the regulation is functioning as a market-access requirement that reaches well beyond its legal jurisdiction. For businesses operating across borders, the practical question is no longer whether the PPWR applies to them but how to build packaging compliance systems that serve both EU and domestic market requirements efficiently.