Posted: 30/10/2025

Reduction in Plastic Packaging Waste in the EU

According to recent Eurostat data, plastic packaging waste in the European Union (EU) has declined for the first time in a decade after a steady rise since 2013.

In 2023, EU citizens generated 79.7 million tonnes of plastic packaging waste, equivalent to 35.3 kilograms per person, representing an average decrease of 8.7 kg per person compared with 2022. Despite this improvement, the current per-capita figure remains 21.2 kg higher than in 2013, reflecting the long-term growth in packaging consumption over the past decade which peaked during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in recent years plastic packaging waste has begun to decline gradually.

The reduction is linked to recent EU measures emphasizing waste prevention, reuse, and refill systems rather than end-of-life treatment. Initiatives such as Denmark’s reusable packaging program in Aarhus and Zero Waste Europe projects illustrate this shift. Yet, paper and cardboard still dominate total packaging waste at 40.4% compared with 19.8% from plastics. Recycling performance also varies widely with Belgium achieving a rate of 59.5%, while Hungary (23%), France (25.7%), and Austria (26.9%) remain considerable below this level. At the same time, average EU use of lightweight carrier bags also dropped to 65 per person, down 30 since 2018.

Key legislation driving this progress includes the Single-Use Plastics Directive (2019), the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) mandating 55 percent recycling of plastic packaging by 2030 and the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which becomes binding in August 2026 and introduces stricter producer obligations on recyclability, recycled content, and traceability.

The decline reflects the initial impact of the EU’s transition toward circular economy policies, and sustained enforcement alongside greater harmonization among Member States will be essential to maintaining this momentum and achieving lasting reductions in packaging waste.