Navigating the packaging transition with clarity, tools and strategy

The new EU Packaging Regulation (PPWR) is not only changing packaging – it is changing processes. From August 2026 at the latest, binding quotas, return obligations, labelling requirements and new reporting obligations will apply to companies in the beverage industry.

For many companies, this presents a double challenge:
they must check existing systems for compliance, evaluate alternative solutions and maintain ongoing processes at the same time. Added to this is an increasingly tight timeframe – because the changeover requires preparation.

Between uncertainty and pressure

Single-use packaging is becoming less attractive from a regulatory perspective, while reusable packaging is gaining in importance – but practical implementation remains complex for many companies. What exactly counts as PPWR-compliant? What deadlines apply? And how can key figures such as return rates, carbon footprints or recycled content be verified?

There are also operational hurdles: lack of time slots in production, unclear responsibilities, undefined standards for verification and reporting.

12 months. A clear plan.

This is exactly where our white paper ‘Pressure in packaging’ comes in – with a structured twelve-month roadmap for PPWR implementation. The plan provides step-by-step support from the initial analysis to the successful transition:

• Months 1–3: Inventory & audit
• Which containers are in use? What are the return rates? What data is available?
• Months 4–6: Target vision & planning
• Selection of suitable packaging systems, calculation of TCO and EPR costs, definition of technical requirements
• Months 7–9: Implementation & integration
• Conversion of processes, communication with filling, logistics & trade, integration of tracking solutions
• Months 10–12: Verification & reporting
• Compilation of documentation, definition of KPIs, preparation of regulatory reports

From obligation to opportunity

A structured plan and reliable data create clarity – and give companies the opportunity to think beyond mere compliance. The PPWR makes packaging a strategic management issue. Those who weigh up, compare and combine at an early stage can transform regulatory pressure into operational resilience.

What appears to be an obligation today can become an opportunity tomorrow. Well-designed packaging systems not only ensure compliance with legal requirements – they also open up access to new markets, improve the carbon footprint, optimise logistics processes and strengthen the brand profile.

White paper with tools, checklists and reporting aids

Our white paper ‘Pressure in packaging’ provides practical support for the implementation of the PPWR – compact, concrete and strategically applicable. Here's what you can expect in around 50 pages:

• Comprehensible explanations of the new EU requirements
• Mandatory matrix for beverage packaging – a clear overview of what applies to whom
• Concrete segment analyses & best practice examples
• TCO and break-even calculations including CO₂ potential
• EPR cost calculator with formula for your own calculations
• Comparison of current technologies in cleaning, sorting & tracking
• Six-step checklist for decision-makers
• Detailed 12-month schedule for the transition
• Glossary, key points sections and key information for decision-makers
• Outlook on opportunities beyond pure compliance

Download now for free:

https://www.keg.schaefer-container-systems.de/de/whitepaper-druck-im-gebinde