What is packaging products?
Read more about what packaging is, the different types of packaging, and when packaging is considered single-use or reusable.
Packaging consists of materials and products used to contain, protect, handle, transport, or present goods. Packaging is used throughout the supply chain and includes both business-to-business packaging and packaging that reaches consumers.
Labels, stickers, tags, hangtags, and similar items that are attached directly to a product or otherwise affixed to it are also subject to producer responsibility for packaging. For example, hangtags attached to clothing are subject to producer responsibility for packaging.
Understanding the different types of packaging
To classify your packaging correctly, you should base the classification on its function. Different types of packaging are subject to different rules, so it is important to know which category your packaging belongs to.
Read more about the four main types of packaging and determine which category your packaging falls into.
Sales packaging is the packaging in which a product is sold to the end user. Together, the packaging and the product constitute a sales unit at the point of sale.
Examples include a shampoo bottle, a food can, or a cereal box.
Grouped packaging groups several sales units into a single package. It may be sold as a combined unit to the end user or used for shelf replenishment and distribution. The packaging can be removed without affecting the product’s characteristics.
Examples include the plastic wrap around six soft drink cans or display units.
Transport packaging is used to protect and handle products during transport and delivery. Its purpose is to group together and protect one or more sales units, thereby reducing the risk of damage.
Examples include stretch wrap, transport crates, and pallets. Road, rail, sea, and air freight containers are not considered transport packaging.
Transport packaging may also include packaging used to deliver products sold online. Examples include shipping boxes, envelopes, and protective filling materials used to send goods directly to customers.
Service packaging is packaging that is filled at the point of sale when a product is supplied to the customer. Examples include takeaway packaging, takeaway coffee cups, and shopping bags.
Is your packaging single-use or reusable?
It is important to know whether your packaging is single-use packaging or reusable packaging, as different rules apply to each type.
Many forms of packaging can be used more than once, but that does not automatically make them reusable packaging. Whether packaging is legally classified as reusable depends, among other things, on how it is designed and how it is used in practice. In short:
- Single-use packaging is packaging that meets the definition of packaging but does not meet the requirements for reusable packaging.
- Reusable packaging is packaging that has been designed, developed, and put on the market with the intention of being used multiple times for the same purpose through several trips or cycles.
It is important to distinguish between reusable packaging and the reuse of packaging. Packaging is not considered reusable packaging simply because it is used multiple times. This also applies if the packaging is made from recycled materials. The decisive factor is whether the packaging is designed for reuse and forms part of a system in which it is returned and used again for the same purpose.
The four rules of thumb for reusable packaging
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The packaging must be put into circulation for the purpose of reuse.
It is not enough that the packaging can be used multiple times. It must also be part of a system designed for it to be returned and used again, for example through a return scheme, a collection agreement, or another system in which the packaging circulates between multiple parties. -
The packaging must be designed for reuse.
It must be developed from the outset with the intention of being used multiple times. Its materials, construction, and design must support participation in a reuse system, enabling the packaging to circulate among users repeatedly. -
The packaging must be safe and durable for repeated use.
It is not enough that the packaging can be used more than once. It must also be capable of being emptied, cleaned, refilled, and reused without compromising safety, hygiene, or functionality. The packaging must be able to withstand the wear and tear associated with multiple use cycles. -
The packaging must be ready for its next life cycle.
Once it can no longer be reused, it must be possible to manage it properly as a waste resource. This includes, among other things, ensuring that it can be labelled and tracked where necessary, and that it is designed in a way that allows its materials to be recycled effectively.
Shortcuts
About registration
Companies already covered can register from April 1, 2024. However, companies with reusable packaging can only register from December 31, 2024
Packaging - legislation
See the statutory basis for producer responsibility for packaging
Single-use plastic
See packaging that is also single-use plastic
Packaging products
See regulations and characteristics for different types of packaging