Plastic Packaging Europe: Why Plastic Keeps Rising Despite Stable Packaging Use
Plastic Packaging Europe: Why Plastic Keeps Rising Despite Stable Packaging Use
Europe is not necessarily using much more packaging overall. But it is using more plastic packaging.
That is the central message from new research by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, which analysed packaging placed on the market in 19 EU Member States between 2011 and 2025. The countries covered represent more than 97% of the EU population, making the findings a strong indicator of how packaging habits are evolving across the bloc.
The study found that packaging use remains high, at about 98 kilograms per person. Food and beverage products dominate the picture, accounting for the overwhelming majority of packaging placed on the market. Yet within that relatively stable total, plastic is moving in the wrong direction.
Plastic is the only major packaging material still growing
According to the JRC, plastic was the only packaging material category to show an upward trend between 2011 and 2025. Plastic packaging placed on the market increased by 11% in absolute terms over the period studied.
In 2025, the study estimates that 5.9 million tonnes of plastic packaging were placed on the market across the countries analysed. That equals roughly 14 kilograms of plastic packaging per person.
This matters because packaging is one of the most visible and politically sensitive uses of plastic. It is also one of the hardest to manage: it includes bottles, pots, trays, films, caps, wrappers and multilayer formats that do not all behave the same way in collection and recycling systems.
PET bottles remain a major driver
A large share of consumer plastic packaging is linked to drinks. Water and soft drink bottles are commonly made from PET, or polyethylene terephthalate, which remains one of the most widely used polymers in European consumer packaging.
The pattern is not identical in every country. The JRC notes that in Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands and Sweden, polypropylene, known as PP, accounts for a larger share than PET. PP is used across a broader range of food and beverage packaging, including tubs, caps, trays and containers.
This difference is important for policy. A country where plastic packaging is heavily driven by bottled water may need a different response from a country where the problem is spread across many food packaging formats. plastic packaging Europe
Country differences are significant
Plastic packaging Europe is not a single, uniform story.
Some Member States have kept plastic packaging levels relatively stable, while others have seen clear increases. The JRC highlights relatively stable trends in countries such as Belgium, France and the Netherlands, while Ireland, Romania and Poland recorded more noticeable growth.
Consumer behaviour also changes the numbers. Italy stands out because plastic-bottled water represents a large share of its plastic packaging consumption. Sweden shows a very different profile, with bottled water accounting for a far smaller share.
Per-person consumption also varies. Germany was estimated at around 16 kilograms of plastic packaging per person in 2024, while Sweden was closer to 8 kilograms per person, well below the average for the countries studied.
Glass is still the heaviest material by weight
Plastic attracts much of the attention, but glass remains the heaviest packaging material by mass.
That does not mean glass is automatically worse or better than plastic. It means weight-based packaging statistics must be read carefully. Glass is dense, so bottles and jars weigh far more than plastic containers of similar volume.
The JRC found that glass accounts for a very large share of packaging weight. Beer bottles, including both reusable and single-use formats, are among the largest contributors to total packaging mass.
This is why packaging policy cannot rely on weight alone. A lighter material may still create serious waste and pollution problems. A heavier material may perform better in reuse systems if collection, washing and transport are well managed.
New EU rules raise the pressure on producers
The timing of the research is important. The EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, known as PPWR, entered into force in February 2025 and is due to apply from 12 August 2026. It replaces the older packaging waste framework with directly applicable EU-wide rules.
The regulation aims to reduce unnecessary packaging, improve recyclability, support reuse and refill systems, and introduce clearer requirements for recycled content in plastic packaging.
For businesses, the message is clear: packaging can no longer be treated as a purely commercial or logistical choice. It is becoming a compliance issue, a cost issue and a reputation issue.
Switzerland is also tightening packaging rules
The pressure is not limited to the EU. Switzerland has also moved to update its packaging rules, including minimum recycling rates of 55% for plastic packaging and 70% for beverage cartons. Although Switzerland is not an EU Member State, the move reflects the broader European shift toward stronger packaging accountability.
This regional alignment matters for manufacturers, retailers and brands operating across borders. Companies that sell products in multiple European markets will increasingly need packaging systems that are recyclable, measurable and defensible.
Recycling alone will not solve the trend
Recycling is essential, but the JRC figures show why recycling alone is not enough.
If plastic packaging keeps increasing, waste systems must work harder just to keep up. Better sorting, higher-quality recycling and recycled-content rules can reduce the impact, but they do not automatically reduce the amount of packaging placed on the market.
The bigger challenge is prevention. That means reducing unnecessary packaging, designing simpler materials, expanding reuse where it makes sense, and avoiding packaging formats that are technically recyclable on paper but rarely recycled in practice.
What the data tells policymakers and businesses
The JRC’s updated methodology is designed to help Member States improve packaging waste reporting and support implementation of the new EU packaging regulation. The latest version expands beyond food and beverages to include home care, beauty and personal care, and pet food, covering about 75% of the European consumer packaging market.
That broader scope should make future reporting more consistent and more useful. It can also help identify where packaging reduction efforts will have the greatest impact.
For policymakers, the priority is reliable data, harmonised reporting and rules that reward real reduction rather than cosmetic changes.
For businesses, the priority is packaging design that can survive regulatory scrutiny. Lightweighting may help, but it is not enough if the material is difficult to collect, sort or recycle.
For consumers, the findings show that everyday choices still matter, especially in markets where bottled water and single-use beverage packaging remain major contributors.
The bottom line
Plastic packaging Europe continues to rise even while total packaging levels remain broadly stable. That is the warning sign.
The problem is not only how much packaging Europe uses, but what that packaging is made from, how often it is reused, how easily it is recycled and whether it was necessary in the first place.
The EU’s new packaging rules will test whether Europe can move from better waste management to genuine packaging prevention. The latest data suggests that shift is urgently needed.
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