PPWR — what changes and when

One regulation, many timelines

It is tempting to treat PPWR as a single switch-on date. In practice the regulation entered into force on 11 February 2025, has applied generally since 12 August 2026, and then attaches separate dates to specific obligations — for example on reuse, recyclability, labelling and reporting — with transitional periods and exemptions in defined cases that run through to 2030 and beyond.

The practical position for pallet users is straightforward: requirements that already apply have to be met, and the requirements with later dates have to be met from those dates. Some obligations are therefore live now and shaping customer requirements, while others are still ahead and carry transitional arrangements or exemptions. Check the date attached to the specific obligation you care about rather than the headline date — and note that none of this amounts to a blanket ban on wooden pallets.

Transport packaging and reuse

Pallets are transport packaging. PPWR's treatment of reusable packaging and packaging systems is therefore directly relevant to how pallet pools, exchange arrangements and one-way packaging are described and reported. This is an area where obligations, definitions and exemptions need reading in the regulation text.

There is no blanket ban on wooden pallets in PPWR — not before 12 August 2026, and not since. Anyone claiming otherwise is either misreading the regulation or selling something.

What UK businesses should do

• Identify whether you place packaging on the EU market, directly or through a customer.
• List the packaging types you use, including transport packaging such as pallets and wrap.
• For each obligation that could apply, note its own date and any transitional arrangement.
• Verify against the regulation text and the official guidance, and record the date you checked.
• Keep the question separate from ISPM 15 — plant health treatment and packaging waste rules are different regimes.

Separate signpost — UK packaging producer responsibility (EPR)

This is a different regime from the EU PPWR and nothing on this page should be read across to it. The UK operates extended producer responsibility for packaging, and whether it applies to a business depends on its role in the supply chain — for example as a brand owner, packer or filler, importer, distributor or seller — and on the thresholds set out in the official guidance.

We make no assessment of any business's obligations, including our own. Check your own position directly in the GOV.UK guidance linked below.

Verification note

The 11 February 2025 entry into force, the 12 August 2026 general application date and the staggered nature of specific obligations should be re-checked against the official sources below before you rely on them. This page was reviewed on the date shown and is general information only.