South Korean exporters, especially in cosmetics and e-commerce, face significant disruption from the EU's new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which takes effect August 12, 2025. A recent report by POSCO Research Institute warns that most domestic companies lack awareness and infrastructure to comply, risking market access and penalties in the EU.
Regulation overview
PPWR replaces the previous Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) with stricter, directly applicable rules across all EU member states without transition periods. From August 12, 2025, 90% of single-use plastic and metal beverage containers must be separately collected. Reusable packaging quotas apply: 10% for beverage packaging and 40% for e-commerce transport packaging. Industrial transport packaging such as pallets and crates is also covered.
Material and recycling requirements
From August 2025, packaging must limit four heavy metals (including cadmium) to ≤100 mg/kg. Food packaging must meet PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) limits. By 2030, overall packaging recycling rates must reach 70%, with plastic packaging containing 10–35% recycled content sourced only from EU-certified waste collection systems.
Impact on Korean industries
POSCO Research Institute identifies cosmetics (K-beauty) and food as the hardest-hit sectors, followed by e-commerce. Many small and medium packaging firms lack digital material inventories and bill of materials (BOM) management, making it structurally impossible to submit required technical documentation (TD) within 10 days. Domestic recycled plastic quality is also insufficient to meet EU standards, threatening compliance with 2030 recycled content mandates.
What buyers should watch
Overseas importers and distributors sourcing from South Korea should verify that suppliers have initiated digital packaging inventories, heavy metal and PFAS testing, and internal technical documentation systems. Without these, shipments may face rejection or delays after August 12. Buyers should also reassess supplier capabilities and request compliance certificates for packaging materials, especially for cosmetics and food products.
Sourcing context
The POSCO report recommends urgent actions: building digital packaging inventories, starting PFAS and heavy metal testing immediately, establishing internal technical documentation workflows, and reclassifying supplier capabilities. However, given the short timeline before enforcement, many Korean firms may struggle to comply, creating potential supply chain gaps for EU-bound products.
Source: Read the original report | Published: June 14, 2026