Swedish forest products company Holmen is preparing its paperboard and packaging paper portfolio for the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) as the first requirements begin to apply in 2026.

The company is also providing customers with regulatory documentation and guidance as packaging producers, converters and brand owners assess how the new rules could affect material selection and future packaging designs.

Holmen said products including Invercote®, Incada®, Inverform® and Holmen Elevate are positioned to address changing requirements as the EU moves toward a more circular packaging system.

PPWR Requirements Will Be Phased In Through 2035

The PPWR introduces new requirements covering packaging design, recyclability, substances of concern, recycled content, packaging minimisation, reuse and waste management.

Implementation will take place in stages rather than through a single compliance deadline, with different provisions becoming applicable between 2026 and 2035.

For packaging manufacturers and users, this means decisions being made today about materials, product development and packaging formats may need to account for requirements taking effect several years later.

Andreas Boo, Head of Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs at Holmen Board and Paper, said material selection is becoming increasingly important as the regulatory environment changes.

Holmen’s approach is to help customers understand how individual requirements may affect their packaging while providing materials and documentation that support future compliance.

Paper Packaging Holds Strong Recycling Position in Europe

Fibre-based packaging enters the PPWR implementation period with an established collection and recycling infrastructure across much of Europe.

Holmen cites a European recycling rate of approximately 83% for paper packaging, placing fibre-based materials among the most widely recycled packaging materials in the region.

The PPWR also treats paper differently from plastics in some areas.

In particular, paper packaging is currently not subject to the mandatory recycled-content targets established for plastic packaging. This means fresh fibre can continue to be used where appropriate for the intended application.

That distinction is important for applications where material purity, strength, surface properties or food-contact performance influence the choice between fresh and recycled fibre.

PFAS Restrictions Arrive in August 2026

One of the first PPWR provisions directly affecting packaging materials concerns per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food-contact packaging.

The relevant restrictions begin to apply from 12 August 2026, making chemical compliance an immediate consideration for companies supplying paper and board for food packaging.

PFAS have historically been used in some packaging applications to provide resistance against grease, oil and moisture. Regulatory restrictions are increasing pressure on the packaging value chain to verify formulations and evaluate alternative barrier technologies.

Holmen said it assesses its food-contact-certified products against the PPWR PFAS requirements as described in the guidance for Regulation (EU) 2025/40.

The company can provide related documentation upon request for:

• Invercote and Inverform
• Incada
• Anchor pulp
• Holmen Elevate
• Holmen SURE

PPWR Could Influence Material Selection Earlier Than Deadlines Suggest

Although many PPWR requirements will not apply immediately, packaging development cycles mean companies cannot necessarily wait until individual deadlines arrive.

Changing a packaging structure can require material testing, converting trials, filling-line validation, transport testing and approval from customers or brand owners.

For paper and board producers, this creates a need to provide more than packaging substrates alone. Regulatory documentation, recyclability information and knowledge of downstream converting requirements are becoming increasingly relevant to material qualification.

Boo said companies that begin reviewing their packaging portfolios early should be better positioned as PPWR requirements become clearer and additional provisions take effect.

Fibre-Based Packaging Faces Opportunities and Technical Requirements

The regulation could create additional opportunities for paperboard, kraft paper and other fibre-based packaging as companies reconsider existing packaging formats.

However, switching from another material to paper is not automatically sufficient for PPWR compliance.

Barrier coatings, laminates, inks, adhesives and other components can affect the recyclability and overall regulatory status of a finished package. Performance requirements must also still be met throughout converting, filling, transportation, retail and use.

For paper mills and packaging converters, the opportunity therefore lies in developing fibre-based structures that combine material efficiency, recyclability and required functional performance.

Industry Outlook

PPWR is set to influence packaging development across Europe well beyond its first requirements in August 2026.

For the pulp, paper and packaging industries, the regulation creates both an opportunity and a technical challenge. Europe’s established paper recycling system and the absence of mandatory recycled-content targets for paper provide advantages for fibre-based materials, but individual packaging formats will still need to satisfy increasingly detailed regulatory requirements.

Holmen’s preparations illustrate how paper and board producers are moving beyond material supply to help customers understand compliance, document product characteristics and plan packaging portfolios around regulations that will continue to develop through the next decade.

Last Updated on 11/08/2026 by Jota Machinery