The Consumer Choice Center (CCC) has blasted the ‘growing burden’ being placed on small and medium-sized retailers under the new EU packaging and packaging waste rules.
Under the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), businesses that ship goods directly to consumers in other EU member states must now comply with the respective national requirements of the destination country.
The US-based, nonprofit consumer advocacy organisation warned that the additional obligations, which have applied since 12 August 2026, place extra regulatory pressure on smaller retailers, and could potentially drive them out of the European Single Market.
In a statement posted on its website, the campaign group claimed such fixed costs are easier for large companies to absorb, but argued they can make cross-border sales economically unviable for small retailers with low shipping volumes.
The CCC called for the European Commission (EC) to immediately pause and overhaul the new rules, which are designed to address the large quantities of packaging waste sent to landfill, as well as the potentially harmful chemicals used in packaging.
Waste-reduction aims
These include, among other things, registration requirements, participation in packaging recovery systems, reporting of packaging volumes, and, where applicable, the appointment of an authorised representative.
“A Single Market in which small retailers have to stop shipping across borders because the bureaucracy no longer makes economic sense is not a functioning Single Market,” declared Jens Teutrine, Germany policy analyst at the CCC.
“What has been warned about for months is now becoming reality: less choice, less competition and, ultimately, higher prices for consumers.
“The EC must stop this misguided approach – not someday, but now. We call on the EC to pause these misguided regulations with immediate effect and undertake a comprehensive overhaul.
“It is not enough to announce that the rules will be reviewed at some point in the future when the damage is happening now.”
March 2026 guidance
However, a spokeswoman told Eco-plastics in Packaging that the EC had been in frequent contact with stakeholders and worked closely with them to provide explanations ahead of the entry into application of the new packaging rules.
All key elements were included in the March 2026 guidance, “giving time to stakeholders to analyse and adapt” to the new rules, she said.
The PPWR includes specific exemptions for SMEs and, in particular, micro-enterprises, the spokeswoman pointed out.
Micro-enterprises that make available less than 1,000kg of packaging per year are exempted from the reuse targets and certain reporting requirements, she explained.
“Supporting SMEs [small and medium-sized enterprises] was a key consideration throughout the preparation of the regulation,” the spokeswoman added.
“The EC carefully assessed the impact of each measure and introduced targeted flexibilities where appropriate. The new rules provide greater legal certainty and a harmonised framework across the EU, making it easier and less costly for SMEs to operate in the Single Market.”
In addition, the spokeswoman described packaging as a “fast-moving and innovative sector”.
“Many start-ups and SMEs are well-placed to develop the new circular products, services and business models that the regulation will encourage,” she said.
