Packaging has become an increasingly important issue for companies selling products in the European Union. For children's toys, packaging is not only used to protect products during transportation and display products at retail stores. It also affects logistics, storage, product presentation, consumer experience and, increasingly, environmental compliance.
The European Union has introduced a new regulatory framework known as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). The regulation is designed to reduce packaging waste, improve recyclability, encourage the use of recycled materials and create more consistent packaging requirements across the EU.
For toy importers, wholesalers, retailers and private-label brands, PPWR is therefore more than an environmental policy. It can influence how products are packaged, how packaging materials are selected, how packaging information is provided and how suppliers manage packaging data.
The PPWR entered into force on 11 February 2025 and began to apply generally from 12 August 2026. Many important requirements will then be introduced progressively, particularly from 2028 and 2030.
What Is PPWR?
PPWR stands for Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.
The official legislation is Regulation (EU) 2025/40. It replaces the previous EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive framework and establishes rules covering the entire packaging lifecycle, from packaging design and material selection to reuse, collection and recycling.
Unlike a regulation that focuses only on a specific material such as plastic, PPWR applies broadly to packaging placed on the EU market.
The European Commission describes the regulation as covering packaging and packaging waste regardless of material or origin.
It establishes requirements concerning packaging manufacturing, composition, reusable and recoverable characteristics, waste prevention and waste management.
For toy businesses, this means that packaging should increasingly be considered during the product development process rather than only at the final packing stage.
Packaging Data Will Become More Important
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One of the biggest practical changes for manufacturers and importers is the growing importance of packaging information.
A buyer may increasingly ask a factory:
What material is the outer carton?
What is the carton weight?
What percentage of the packaging is plastic?
Is the packaging recyclable?
What type of plastic is used?
What is the weight of the plastic packaging?
Is recycled content used?
What packaging components are included?
Can the packaging be reduced?
What Should Toy Importers Ask Their Suppliers?
When sourcing wooden toys from China or other manufacturing countries, European buyers can ask suppliers to provide packaging information at the quotation or sample stage.
A useful packaging checklist includes:
Product packaging
Product net weight
Product dimensions
Carton dimensions
Carton gross weight
Units per carton
Packaging materials
Corrugated cardboard
Paper
Plastic bags
Foam
Plastic film
Tape
Labels
Other protective materials
Packaging quantities
Weight of cardboard per unit
Weight of plastic per unit
Weight of paper per unit
Weight of other packaging components
PPWR Is a Long-Term Packaging Strategy
It is important to understand that PPWR is not a single deadline.
Different requirements will take effect at different times.
The general application started on 12 August 2026, while major measures concerning recyclability, recycled plastic content, packaging.
reduction and certain reuse requirements are scheduled progressively, with many important measures applying from 2030.
Therefore, toy businesses should not wait until a specific deadline before reviewing packaging.
The better approach is to gradually establish a packaging management system.
