Circular Packaging, No Excuses

Field Notes

The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is heading to the Official Journal. From 2026 you’ll face binding reuse targets, recycled-content minimums, and stricter labeling. Euractiv summed it up nicely: the grace period is short, and SMEs have no exemptions. If your product ships in boxes, bags or bottles, you need to re-design now—not when your supplier sends a passive-aggressive email.

Signal Check

• PPWR sets recycled-content targets between 30% and 65% depending on material. Missing them could block market access.
• Reuse systems become mandatory in sectors like food, beverage and e-commerce. Expect deposit schemes and refill partnerships to explode.
• Labels must be standardized and machine-readable so consumers know how to dispose properly. Lazy packaging copy is over.

Marketing Pulse

Tell the story of your packaging shift. Share renders of new refill stations, behind-the-scenes clips of material testing, and customer interviews about the unboxing experience. The Personal Business Trainer should tag packaging projects as “marketing assets” so the team keeps feeding content from the journey. Customers love watching founders obsess over details.

Operations Flow

Map your entire packaging supply chain in the trainer: suppliers, lead times, material specs, certification status. Add deadlines for each PPWR milestone (recycled content, labeling changes, reuse pilot). Set quarterly “stress tests” to ensure suppliers can provide documentation. If not, start sourcing alternatives now.

Innovation Muscle

Use the regulation as a creativity engine. Could your studio design modular packaging that doubles as desk storage? Could you partner with refill startups to offer pop-up experiences? Prototype fast, gather customer feedback, and log the insights in the trainer so you can iterate with evidence.

Experiments for this week

1. Run a packaging teardown livestream. Deconstruct your current materials, share their environmental cost, and outline the redesign plan.
2. Build a calculator inside the trainer that compares cost per shipment before/after PPWR-compliant packaging. Share the numbers with your community to demystify the investment.
3. Pilot a reuse scheme with your top 20 customers—offer a discount or exclusive content for every package they send back. Track participation and obstacles.