What Is the EU PPWR?
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40 establishes requirements covering the entire life cycle of packaging placed on the EU market.
The regulation applies broadly to packaging regardless of material, including packaging used in manufacturing, retail, distribution, e-commerce, and household applications.
The main objectives include:
- Reducing unnecessary packaging
- Improving packaging recyclability
- Increasing recycled content
- Encouraging reusable packaging
- Reducing substances of concern
- Improving packaging labelling
- Strengthening Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
- Supporting the transition toward a circular economy
For toy companies, this means that product packaging needs to be considered during product development—not only after the toy itself has been completed.
Why Does PPWR Matter to Toy Brands?
Wooden toys are often positioned around sustainability, natural materials, and long-term play value. However, the sustainability story does not stop with the toy itself.
A wooden toy may be made from responsibly sourced wood but still use:
- Oversized cardboard boxes
- Multiple plastic bags
- Plastic windows
- Mixed-material inserts
- Excessive paper components
- Non-recyclable coatings
- Unnecessary decorative packaging
Under PPWR, packaging design is increasingly evaluated based on its material composition, recyclability, weight, volume, and end-of-life management.
This makes packaging an important consideration for B2B toy manufacturers and brands serving the European market.
1. Packaging Minimisation
One of the fundamental principles of PPWR is to reduce unnecessary packaging.
Packaging should be designed to minimise its weight and volume while maintaining its functionality. The regulation also addresses packaging designed to artificially increase the perceived volume of a product.
What does this mean for wooden toys?
Toy manufacturers can review:
- Box dimensions
- Internal empty space
- Plastic inserts
- Paper trays
- Decorative layers
- Product-to-box ratio
- Packaging-to-product weight
For example, instead of designing a large presentation box with significant empty space, brands can consider a more compact structure that still provides sufficient protection and strong shelf appeal.
2. Recyclability Will Become a Core Packaging Requirement
PPWR establishes that packaging placed on the EU market must be recyclable.
The regulation introduces recyclability performance grades, with more detailed requirements being phased in from 2030 and stricter recyclability requirements from 2038.
For toy packaging, this makes Design for Recycling increasingly important.
Practical considerations include:
Prefer:
- Paper and cardboard structures that can enter established recycling streams
- Mono-material solutions where practical
- Easily separable packaging components
- Recyclable paper-based inserts
- Simple packaging constructions
Review carefully:
- Plastic windows
- Laminated paper
- Mixed-material structures
- Permanent adhesive combinations
- Non-recyclable coatings
- Complex multi-layer packaging
3. Recycled Content Requirements for Plastic Packaging
PPWR introduces minimum recycled-content requirements for certain plastic packaging.
From 2030, for example, plastic packaging other than specified categories will generally need to contain 35% post-consumer recycled plastic, subject to the regulation's specific conditions and exemptions. Higher targets apply from 2040.
For toy packaging suppliers, this means brands may increasingly ask questions such as:
- Is the plastic recycled?
- What percentage is post-consumer recycled content?
- Can the supplier provide supporting documentation?
- Is the material suitable for the intended packaging application?
- Can the plastic component be replaced with paper or cardboard?
For wooden toys, reducing unnecessary plastic components can be a particularly effective packaging strategy.
4. EPR Becomes an Important Part of Packaging Compliance
PPWR also strengthens Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
Under the regulation, producers are responsible for packaging-related costs associated with collection, sorting, recycling, and waste management, while EPR systems are designed to encourage better packaging design.
This means European customers may increasingly expect their suppliers to provide accurate packaging information, such as:
- Packaging material
- Packaging weight
- Material composition
- Packaging format
- Recyclability information
- Recycled content, where applicable
- Country and market information
- Supporting compliance documentation
For B2B suppliers, maintaining accurate packaging specifications can make the compliance process significantly easier for customers.
5. Packaging Labelling and Consumer Sorting
Another important PPWR focus is improving packaging information and waste sorting.
For toy brands selling across multiple European markets, packaging design should therefore consider how consumers will understand and dispose of each packaging component.
Clear and consistent information can help consumers identify whether a component belongs in:
- Paper recycling
- Plastic recycling
- Other waste streams
The exact labelling requirements and implementation details depend on the applicable provisions and subsequent EU acts, so brands should monitor the regulatory timetable rather than treating packaging artwork as a one-time compliance exercise.
How TOOKY TOY Approaches Sustainable Wooden Toy Packaging
At TOOKY TOY, sustainability is closely connected with product design, material selection, and packaging development.
As a premium wooden toy brand, we focus on creating products that combine educational value, timeless design, and responsible material choices.
For B2B customers, packaging development can be considered alongside:
- Product design
- Material selection
- Packaging structure
- Packaging dimensions
- Retail presentation
- Shipping efficiency
- European market requirements
This integrated approach helps our partners develop wooden toy collections that are better aligned with the evolving expectations of European retailers and consumers.
