Ecodesign for packaging

Ecodesign for packaging is the practice of building environmental criteria into a package from its very conception, so that it generates the least possible impact across its whole life cycle. It is one of the core levers of the circular economy applied to packaging.

In concrete terms, it means weighing sustainability at every stage of the package: design, choice of materials, manufacturing, distribution, use, reuse and recycling. The goal is to reduce waste, save resources and make later recovery easier, without sacrificing the protection, safety and functionality the package has to deliver.

Packaging is one of the largest waste streams in Europe, so ecodesign has become a key tool for meeting the targets of the European Green Deal and the new EU and Spanish packaging rules described below.

Ecodesign and packaging: a clear definition

Ecodesign is the development of products that integrates environmental considerations from the design phase, without compromising quality or function. According to the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, more than 80% of a product's environmental impact is determined at the design stage, which is exactly why acting there is so effective.

Applied to packaging, ecodesign reduces the environmental footprint through measures such as:

• Using less material per unit of product.
• Choosing recyclable materials or materials with recycled content.
• Optimising weight and volume.
• Making it easy to separate or dismantle different materials.
• Incorporating biodegradable or compostable materials where they are genuinely the better option.

What ecodesign for packaging aims to achieve

1. Reduce the overall environmental impact across the life cycle.
2. Improve recyclability and enable reuse.
3. Cut the use of virgin materials.
4. Lower the carbon footprint and water footprint of the product.
5. Comply with EU rules on sustainable packaging.

Circular design principles for packaging

• Structural simplicity: avoid packaging that combines incompatible materials (for example plastic bonded to aluminium).
• Mono-material design: use a single material where possible to make recycling easier.
• Material efficiency: reduce the weight of the package without weakening it.
• Reuse: design durable or refillable packaging.
• Recyclability: favour materials for which collection and recycling infrastructure already exists.
• Recycled content: incorporate post-consumer recycled material.
• Clear communication: include accurate environmental information on the label.

These ideas connect ecodesign with broader circular design thinking, which seeks to keep materials in use for as long as possible.

Rules and reference frameworks

European Union

• Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste, amended by Directive (EU) 2018/852, which set recycling targets and the essential requirements for packaging.
• Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), Regulation (EU) 2025/40: in force since 11 February 2025 and applicable from 12 August 2026. It progressively replaces Directive 94/62/EC and sets harmonised recyclability and recycled-content requirements (see below).
• The EU Circular Economy Action Plan (2020) and the European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy (2018).
• The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, the horizontal ecodesign framework for most product groups (distinct from the PPWR, which is specific to packaging).

Spain

• Royal Decree 1055/2022 on packaging and packaging waste.
• Law 7/2022 on waste and contaminated land for a circular economy.
• Prevention and ecodesign plans run by the extended producer responsibility schemes (Ecoembes, Ecovidrio, SIGRE and others).

Key requirements of Royal Decree 1055/2022

• It requires packaging producers to put in place three-year prevention and ecodesign plans.
• It sets the objective that all packaging placed on the market should be recyclable or reusable, in line with the EU goal for 2030.
• It introduces minimum recycled-content expectations for plastics and reinforces the move towards more circular materials.
• It establishes harmonised environmental labelling so that consumers can sort packaging correctly.
• It promotes deposit-refund schemes (DRS) for reusable and single-use beverage packaging.

What the PPWR adds on recycled content

The PPWR (Regulation (EU) 2025/40) sets binding minimum recycled-content thresholds for plastic packaging, measured as a plant-level annual average. The main 2030 targets include around 30% recycled content for single-use plastic beverage bottles and for contact-sensitive packaging made mainly of PET, 10% for contact-sensitive packaging made of other plastics, and 35% for other plastic packaging, with higher levels required by 2040. It also pushes for all packaging to be recyclable by 2030 and sets reuse targets for certain sectors.

The life cycle of a sustainable package

1. Design: select low-impact materials and a recyclable structure.
2. Production: use renewable energy and recycled materials where feasible.
3. Distribution: reduce volume and weight to cut transport emissions.
4. Use: make reuse or refilling straightforward.
5. End of life: enable efficient recycling or industrial composting.

The most common ecodesign strategies

• Lightweighting: reducing the weight of packaging, for example lighter PET bottles.
• Reuse and refill: refill and return models.
• Modular packaging: compatible with several products or functions.
• Design for disassembly: labels, caps and materials that separate easily.
• Removing problematic additives: avoiding inks, pigments or complex laminates that hinder recycling.

Benefits of ecodesign for packaging

Environmental

• Less waste and plastic pollution.
• Lower consumption of energy and raw materials.
• A smaller carbon footprint for the final product.

Economic

• Savings on materials and transport.
• Regulatory compliance and reduced exposure to packaging fees.
• Greater competitiveness and innovation.

Social

• Stronger consumer trust.
• An improved brand reputation.
• Encouragement of more responsible consumption habits.

Current challenges

1. Balancing sustainability with the protective function the package must keep.
2. The cost of switching to recycled or compostable materials.
3. Limited infrastructure for advanced recycling in some streams.
4. The lack of fully uniform criteria for assessing recyclability.
5. The need to harmonise the environmental information given to consumers.

Innovation and emerging technologies

• Bio-based and biodegradable plastics such as PLA and PHA, used where they offer a real end-of-life advantage.
• Smart packaging: indicators and sensors that extend the shelf life of food.
• Alternative materials: mycelium, cellulose, algae or agricultural by-products.
• Life-cycle assessment tools integrated into industrial design software to optimise environmental impact from the start.
• The Digital Product Passport, which will make material and recyclability information more transparent.

How it connects to the circular economy

Ecodesign is the starting point of a circular approach to packaging, because the decisions taken at the design stage shape most of the impact that follows. Applied well, it helps to:

• Close material loops.
• Reduce packaging waste at source.
• Drive innovation in chemical recycling and mechanical recycling.
• Support extended producer responsibility.

Conclusion

Ecodesign for packaging is a strategic tool for moving towards more sustainable production, cutting waste and meeting the EU's climate and circular-economy goals. Beyond compliance, it is an opportunity for innovation and environmental leadership: integrating sustainability from the design stage strengthens consumer trust and prepares companies for stricter rules such as the PPWR. At Manglai we help companies measure the carbon footprint of their products and packaging and prepare their sustainability reporting. Discover how Manglai can help you.