Three months before the introduction of new European legislation aimed at reducing single-use packaging, increasing reuse and banning toxic PFAS in food packaging (the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, PPWR), multinationals are attempting to block the rules. Whilst the world is increasingly overwhelmed by packaging waste, 138 CEOs – including those of Heineken, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Red Bull, Mondeléz and Kraft Heinz – are once again lobbying via a leaked letter to the European Commission, European Parliament and European Council. They are once again calling for a delay and watering down of these important rules due to ‘ambiguities’. But our health and environment cannot wait for multibillion-euro companies that struggle with change. Therefore, together with more than 160 NGOs, we are calling on the European Commission not to give in to these companies.
The cost of delay: health problems, costs and pollution
The CEOs’ letter sets out several reasons for their demands. One of the points they oppose is the ban on PFAS in packaging, due to alleged ambiguities in testing methods. PFAS are also known as ‘forever chemicals’ and can cause serious health problems. Any delay in implementing this ban poses a risk to our health. Moreover, this claim is unfounded: as Jacob de Boer, professor emeritus specialising in environmental chemistry and toxicology, explains in this NRC article, sufficient recognised testing methods exist.
Another claim made by the CEOs is that reuse often yields no environmental benefit and that disposable beverage packaging performs better. These fallacies are put forward because their business model is based on disposables and passing the costs on to our health, our environment and our wallets.
A recurring strategy
The lobby letter is yet another covert attempt by packaging companies and other market players – including those from the soft drinks, fast food and supermarket sectors – to undermine packaging legislation. These companies have been successful before: a leaked first draft of these rules was weakened by an intensive lobbying campaign, led by McDonald’s and its suppliers. The fast-food chain is also deliberately allowing its own switch to reusable packaging to fail, in order to then claim that reuse does not work, thereby protecting its disposable model. The same companies, many of which are among the world’s biggest polluters, argued against measures to reduce single-use plastic and litter in the European Single-Use Plastics Directive.
Notably, many major players have not signed this letter, suggesting they may not support this last-minute push.
The unprecedented scale of the packaging market and its challenges
- We are generating ever-increasing amounts of packaging waste. In 2023, 79.7 million tonnes of packaging waste were generated in the EU, equivalent to 177.8 kg per inhabitant.. This figure is 21.2 kg higher than in 2013. Of all the packaging waste produced, 40.4% consisted of paper and cardboard, 19.8% of (bio)plastic, 18.8% of glass, 15.8% of wood (mainly pallets and crates), 4.9% of metal and 0.2% of other packaging.
- The packaging industry is by far the largest consumer of plastic, paper and cardboard.. The market for paper packaging materials was estimated at 220 billion euros in 2024 and is expected to reach 300 billion euros by 2033.
- The volume of plastic packaging waste is growing much faster than the amount recycled. In 2023, an average of 35.3 kg of plastic packaging waste was generated per EU resident. Of this, 14.8 kg was recycled. Between 2013 and 2023, the amount of plastic packaging waste produced rose by 6.4 kg per capita, whilst the amount recycled increased by 3.8 kg.
- More disposable packaging means more litter. For decades, packaging – along with cigarette filters – has featured in the top 10 (!) most commonly found items in litter worldwide, including bottles, caps, cups, plates, food containers and bags.
Broad coalition of NGOs voices opposition
In the letter below, the Fair Resource Foundation and 160 other environmental and health organisations call on the European Commission to implement the new packaging policy – which has already been weakened – in full and as planned. The introduction of these rules (the PPWR) is essential to reduce packaging waste, tackle litter, protect our health from toxic PFAS packaging and begin to put an end to Europe’s throwaway economy. In doing so, we are paving the way for a cleaner and fairer world with lower costs to society (such as waste processing, litter, environmental pollution and health) and improved living and working conditions for waste pickers worldwide.
Read our signed letter and the press release from the Break Free From Plastic network.
INTERPOOL: International collaboration to scale up reuse of glass
We want to show the world that there is a more sustainable alternative to throwing away glass bottles and jars. Together with European partners, Fair Resource Foundation is therefore launching INTERPOOL: a cross-border project to facilitate a joint reuse system for glass bottles and jars. In doing so, INTERPOOL contributes to a faster transition to a circular packaging chain and supports the EU’s ambitions in this area.
Stichting OPEN misses opportunities to accelerate the circular transition in its application for a general binding declaration
This article analyzes the new AVV request by Stichting OPEN for e-waste, showing persistent failure to meet collection targets, producer-dominated governance, and minimal focus on reuse and lifetime extension in the 2025–2030 Action Plan. It also questions the AVV instrument’s effectiveness and the limited influence of stakeholders in the consultation process.
Customers pay the bill for McDonald’s pollution
For two years now, all hospitality establishments in the Netherlands have been required to serve food and drinks for on-site consumption in reusable packaging. However, since the summer of 2024, McDonald’s Netherlands has been violating the law by offering single-use cardboard cups with plastic coating in its restaurants. As a result, the country’s largest fast-food chain is not only non-compliant and wasting resources, but is even making customers pay extra by charging a fee for these single-use cups.