On Wednesday, the Official Journal of the European Union published Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste. The regulation includes a ban on plastic packaging for marketing fruit and vegetables under 1.5 kilos (with some exceptions). The measure, which will affect the fruit and vegetable producing and exporting sector, will come into force in 2030.
The new Regulation repeals the previous Directive 94/62/EC and amends Directive 2019/904 and Regulation (EU) 2019/1020. Among its main new features, it restricts certain packaging formats, such as single-use plastic packaging for fruit and vegetables marketed in formats of less than 1.5 kilos. This restriction will apply from January 1, 2030, and will generally affect all fresh fruits and vegetables, with some exceptions. The list of exceptions will be created soon.
FEPEX agrees with the new Regulation's goal of reducing the generation of packaging waste and promoting that economic operators minimize its use. However, they stated, that the Regulation doesn't consider that fresh fruit and vegetable products are very perishable and require the use of packaging that guarantees their safety, quality, and proper transport.
The provisions of the new Regulation 2025/40, published on Wednesday, are mandatory for Member States. In Spain, the national administration anticipated the Community regulations and in December 2022 published Royal Decree 1055/2022 which includes some of the measures now included in the Regulation, although with some differences. According to Fepex, the Royal Decree is more restrictive than the Regulation (EU) 2025/40, establishing more demanding and specific requirements. In the marketing of fruits and vegetables below 1.5 kilos, the Royal Decree prohibits the use of all types of packaging (plastic or non-plastic), promoting bulk sales. In this sense, Fepex considers the national Royal Decree must be adapted to the recently published Regulation 2025/40 so that it comes into force in January 2030.
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