The EU’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) began to apply across the European Union on 12 August 2026.(1)
Without further action, packaging waste in the EU was projected to increase by 19% by 2030, while plastic packaging waste could rise by as much as 46%.(1)
Packaging represents around 36% of municipal solid waste in the EU, while 40% of plastics and 50% of paper used in the EU is used for packaging.(2)
For hotels, this is an important development. Packaging is used across almost every part of hotel operations, from guest amenities and food and beverage to housekeeping, procurement and deliveries.
The new rules are being introduced in phases, with significant changes continuing through to 2030 and beyond.
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What is the PPWR?
The PPWR creates a harmonised framework for packaging and packaging waste across the EU.
Its objectives include preventing packaging waste, improving recyclability, increasing the use of recycled materials and encouraging greater reuse.(1)(2)
It also replaces fragmented national packaging requirements with a common set of EU rules, helping provide greater consistency for businesses operating across multiple European markets.(1)
Who is in scope?
The PPWR applies to packaging placed on the EU market and packaging waste, regardless of the material used or the sector in which it originates.(2)
The Regulation creates obligations for different businesses across the packaging value chain, including manufacturers, importers, distributors and other economic operators.
For the hospitality sector, the rules are particularly relevant because hotels use packaging across guest rooms, food and beverage, housekeeping, procurement and other operational areas.
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What is changing and when?
The PPWR is being introduced in stages.
12 August 2026
The Regulation generally begins to apply across the EU. This includes restrictions on PFAS above specified limits in food-contact packaging.(1)
2028
A harmonised EU labelling system for packaging is due to apply, designed to make waste sorting easier for consumers and improve recycling and composting streams.(1)
2030
Several significant measures are due to take effect, including requirements for packaging to be recyclable, recycled-content requirements for certain plastic packaging, reuse targets and restrictions on certain single-use packaging formats.(1)(2)
What does the PPWR mean for hotels?
One of the most relevant changes for accommodation businesses comes into effect from 1 January 2030.
The Regulation restricts single-use packaging for cosmetics, hygiene and toiletry products intended for an individual booking and intended to be discarded before the next guest arrives.(2)
Examples given in the Regulation include:
- Shampoo bottles
- Hand and body lotion bottles
- Sachets around bar soap
There are also restrictions affecting certain single-use plastic packaging used for food and beverages consumed within hotels, restaurants and catering establishments, as well as individual portions of products such as condiments, sauces, coffee creamer and sugar.(2)
For hotels, this makes understanding where packaging is used, what is being procured and what happens to packaging after use increasingly important.
Where does Clean the World fit?
The PPWR does not require hotels to use Clean the World, and recycling existing bathroom amenities alone does not constitute compliance with the Regulation.
However, the direction of the legislation reinforces the importance of better understanding and managing packaging across hotel operations.
Clean the World’s Global Hospitality Recycling Program provides hotels with a solution for eligible discarded bathroom amenities.
As hotels transition their amenity strategies and prepare for future packaging requirements, having visibility over the materials that continue to enter and leave hotel operations remains important.
What should hotels do now?
The full PPWR transition will take several years, but hotels can start preparing now.
This means reviewing packaging across operations, identifying where unnecessary packaging can be avoided, speaking with suppliers about future requirements, identifying affected single-use formats and understanding what happens to packaging after it has been used.
For hotel groups operating across the EU, the new common framework also creates an opportunity to develop more consistent approaches to packaging, procurement and waste management across portfolios.
The direction is clear: packaging is becoming an increasingly important part of responsible hotel operations.
Clean the World can support hotels in making discarded bathroom amenities a more visible and measurable operational material stream.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)?
The PPWR is an EU regulation designed to prevent packaging waste, improve recyclability, increase the use of recycled materials and encourage greater reuse across the EU.
When did the PPWR start to apply?
The PPWR generally began to apply across the EU on 12 August 2026. Further requirements will be introduced in phases, including significant measures in 2028 and 2030.
Does the PPWR apply to hotels?
Yes. The PPWR applies to packaging placed on the EU market and packaging waste across sectors. For hotels, it is particularly relevant to areas including guest amenities, food and beverage, housekeeping and procurement.
Are single-use hotel toiletries being restricted?
From 1 January 2030, the PPWR restricts certain single-use packaging for cosmetics, hygiene and toiletry products in the accommodation sector that is intended for an individual booking and to be discarded before the next guest arrives. Examples in the Regulation include shampoo bottles, hand and body lotion bottles and sachets around bar soap.
How can hotels prepare for the PPWR?
Hotels can begin by reviewing the packaging used across their operations, identifying affected single-use formats, engaging with suppliers and improving visibility over what happens to packaging after use.
Sources
(1) European Commission. New EU packaging rules start to apply, including restrictions on PFAS in food-contact packaging. 11 August 2026.
https://environment.ec.europa.eu/news/new-eu-rules-packaging-enter-application-2026-08-11_en
(2) EUR-Lex. Regulation (EU) 2025/40 of the European Parliament and of the Council on packaging and packaging waste.
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/40/oj/eng
