PPWR Explained: What the EU's 50% Empty Space Rule Means for Your eCommerce Packaging

The EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, better known as PPWR, started to apply on 12 August 2026.Most of its requirements phase in over the next few years, but there's one that eCommerce brands should have on their radar now. By 2030, no more than 50% of the space inside an eCommerce parcel can be empty.

So choosing the right size of box isn't just about cost and sustainability anymore. It's a compliance question too. Here's what you need to know.

What is PPWR?

PPWR, or Regulation (EU) 2025/40 to give it its official name, is the EU's new rulebook for packaging. It replaces the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive, which had been in place since 1994. It became law in February 2025, and its rules started to apply on 12 August 2026.

The big difference is that it's a regulation, not a directive. Instead of each EU country writing its own version of the rules, the same requirements now apply directly in all 27 member states. That's good news in the long run, because one set of rules is a lot easier to plan around than 27.

The goal is simple enough: less packaging waste. That means packaging that's smaller, lighter and recyclable, and in some cases reusable. It covers everything from a product's retail box to the outer carton it ships in.

Does PPWR apply to UK brands?

If you sell to customers in the EU, yes. PPWR applies to packaging placed on the EU market, wherever the brand behind it is based. So if you're a UK brand shipping orders to customers in Germany, France or the Netherlands, those parcels need to follow the rules, even though the UK has its own packaging regulations.

Selling into the EU also means extended producer responsibility (EPR). You'll need to register for packaging EPR in each EU country you sell into and pay into that country's scheme. If you don't have a business presence in a particular country, you'll often need an authorised representative there too.

Marketplaces are already acting on this. Many now ask sellers for their EPR registration details, and Zalando has said it will block products without the right EPR information from 1 January 2027.

What is the 50% empty space rule?

Under Article 24 of PPWR, whoever fills eCommerce, transport or grouped packaging has to make sure that no more than 50% of it is empty space. The deadline is 1 January 2030, or three years after the European Commission publishes the official way of measuring it, whichever comes later. That measurement method is due by 12 February 2028.

Empty space is basically the difference between the inside of your shipping box and the product (in its own packaging) sitting in it.

Here's the bit that catches people out. Paper cuttings, air pillows, bubble wrap, foam and polystyrene chips all count as empty space. Switching from plastic air pillows to crinkle paper is a great move for sustainability, but it won't change your empty space ratio at all. The only real fix is a box that fits the product better.

There are a couple of exemptions. Reusable packaging is outside the rule, and so is a product box that ships on its own without an outer carton. PPWR also says packaging should be no bigger or heavier than it needs to be, and it bans tricks like double walls and false bottoms that make a product look bigger than it is.

What are the key PPWR dates for eCommerce brands?

• 12 August 2026: PPWR applies across the EU, along with new limits on PFAS ("forever chemicals") in food-contact packaging.
• 12 February 2028: the Commission's method for measuring empty space is due.
• 12 August 2028 (or later, depending on the detailed rules): new standard packaging labels showing what the packaging is made of and how to recycle it.
• 1 January 2030 (or later): the 50% empty space limit kicks in, packaging needs to meet recyclability rules, and reuse targets start for some transport packaging. Cardboard boxes are largely left out of those reuse targets.
• 2035 onwards: packaging needs to be recyclable at scale, with targets tightening again towards 2040.

What does PPWR mean for your brand?

The empty space rule mostly comes down to how your orders get packed, so it's something to plan alongside whoever handles your fulfilment. But plenty of PPWR sits with you as the brand.

Your EPR registrations, your product packaging and your labelling are yours to look after, whether you pack orders in-house or work with a fulfilment partner. It's worth getting these sorted early, especially if you're already selling into several EU countries.

A lot of it overlaps, too. A well-designed product box is easier to pack tightly, and having your EPR details in order makes selling through marketplaces and shipping across the EU much smoother.

Why box size is now a fulfilment decision

Picking a box used to be a balance between cost, protection and how the parcel looks when it lands. Under PPWR it's a legal requirement as well, and that decision gets made hundreds of times a day at the packing bench. So it's really an operations question now, not just a design one.

Single-item orders are usually straightforward. It gets trickier with multi-item orders, oddly shaped products and fragile items that need extra cushioning, which is exactly where having the right range of box sizes makes all the difference.

A lot of this comes down to what your fulfilment partner has in place. It starts with accurate product dimensions captured at goods-in, so every product has a reliable size on record. Your box and mailer range should be built around what you actually sell, rather than three standard sizes stretched across everything. The warehouse system can then suggest the smallest suitable box for each order, and regular spot checks make sure that's what's actually going out the door.

There's a cost upside too. Smaller boxes mean less material, less void fill and less space taken up on the delivery van. We dug into the commercial side of this in our piece on Amazon's packaging reduction.

How SCEND is getting ready for PPWR

Sustainability has been part of how we work from the start. Our UK operation is B Corp Certified, and our UK fulfilment centre in Derbyshire is ISO 14001 accredited for environmental management. Across that site and our EU fulfilment centre in North Brabant, we pack with recyclable cartons and water-activated paper tape. You can read more about our approach to sustainable fulfilment here.

PPWR adds a new measure to all of that. It's not enough for packaging to be recyclable; every parcel also needs to stay under that 50% line, and that's what we're building towards.

For UK brands, holding stock in the EU can make life easier too. Orders to EU customers get packed and shipped from inside the EU instead of every parcel crossing the border from the UK. That also helps with other changes to EU cross-border selling, like the end of the de minimis customs exemption.

How to get your packaging ready for PPWR

You've got until 2030 at the earliest, but changing box ranges and packing processes takes longer than you'd think. A few things worth doing now:

1. Check how your parcels measure up. Take your best-selling products and most common multi-item orders, and work out how much of each box is empty today.
2. Sort your EPR. List every EU country you ship to and make sure you're registered, or have an authorised representative, in each one.
3. Talk to your 3PL about box sizes. Ask how they choose them, whether they have dimensions on file for all your products, and how they plan to show compliance once the measurement method is published.
4. Look at your product packaging. If your retail box is sturdy enough to ship on its own, it may sit outside the empty space rule altogether, and you lose a layer of packaging at the same time.

Frequently asked questions

What does PPWR stand for?

PPWR stands for the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, officially Regulation (EU) 2025/40. It replaced the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive and has applied since 12 August 2026.

When does the 50% empty space rule start?

From 1 January 2030, or three years after the European Commission publishes the official measurement method, whichever is later. The method is due by 12 February 2028.

Does void fill count as empty space under PPWR?

Yes. Paper cuttings, air pillows, bubble wrap, foam and polystyrene chips all count as empty space, so the only way to bring the figure down is a better-fitting box or mailer.

Does PPWR apply to UK businesses?

It applies to UK businesses that sell to customers in the EU. Packaging sent to the EU has to follow the rules wherever the brand is based, and you'll need EPR registration in each EU country you sell into.

What do eCommerce brands need to do to prepare for PPWR?

Register for packaging EPR in each EU country you sell into, check your product packaging and labels against the new rules, and plan your box sizes so parcels stay under the 50% empty space limit by 2030.

Are there any exemptions from the empty space rule?

Yes. Reusable packaging is exempt, and so is a product's own retail packaging when it's shipped on its own without an outer box.

This article is for general information and isn't legal advice. Some of the detailed PPWR rules are still being published, so keep an eye on official guidance for your products.

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