PPWR 2026: The Box You Ship Your Orders In Is Becoming Part of the Ecommerce Problem

You run an online store.

A customer orders a small product.

Maybe a pair of shoes.

A cosmetics set.

An accessory.

A spare part.

But your warehouse only has three standard box sizes, and the right one is out of stock.

So you choose a larger box.

You place the product inside.

You add paper.

Bubble wrap.

Air pillows.

More cardboard.

You close the box.

The product is protected and the parcel leaves the warehouse.

Until now, for many online stores, this was simply a logistics decision.

Over the next few years, that starts to change.

The European Union has adopted Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste, commonly known as the PPWR – Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.

And one clarification matters.

This is not simply a European “packaging directive.”

PPWR is an EU regulation, and its general application begins on August 12, 2026.

It introduces requirements over time concerning unnecessary packaging, recyclability, labelling, materials and, especially important for ecommerce, the amount of empty space inside shipping packaging.

For online stores, the message is simple:

In the years ahead, it will no longer matter only what you ship. It will increasingly matter what you ship it in.

Why Should PPWR Matter to an Online Store?

At first glance, packaging regulation may sound like a problem for cardboard manufacturers, plastic producers or large retailers.

It is not.

PPWR covers packaging across its entire life cycle and explicitly includes ecommerce packaging, meaning transport packaging used to deliver products sold online or through other forms of distance selling to the final user.

So if you sell through:

• Shopify;

• WooCommerce;

• PrestaShop;

• Etsy;

• Amazon;

• your own website;

and ship products to customers across Europe, packaging regulation is directly relevant to your business.

Not all obligations become effective at the same time.

PPWR has a phased implementation schedule.

But the direction is already very clear:

less unnecessary packaging, less empty space being transported and packaging that is easier to recycle.

The Big Ecommerce Problem: We Transport a Lot of Air

Anyone working in logistics has seen it.

The product takes up 30% of the box.

The rest is:

crumpled paper,

bubble wrap,

foam,

air pillows,

or simply empty space.

From a product-protection perspective, some of this may be justified.

But from a logistics and environmental perspective, an oversized box means more volume used in:

warehouses,

delivery vans,

trucks,

aircraft,

sorting hubs.

The European Commission has specifically identified excessive empty space in ecommerce packaging as an issue to be reduced.

The 50% Empty-Space Rule Ecommerce Will Hear Much More About

PPWR introduces an important requirement for grouped, transport and ecommerce packaging.

Operators filling these packages will eventually have to ensure that the maximum empty-space ratio does not exceed 50%.

But one point is essential:

This 50% rule does not automatically apply from August 12, 2026.

According to the regulation, the obligation applies from January 1, 2030 or three years after the relevant implementing acts enter into force, whichever date is later.

So August 12, 2026 marks the start of the general application of PPWR, not the date when every ecommerce parcel must already comply with the 50% limit.

Online stores have time to adapt.

And that is exactly why it makes sense to start now.

Even Void-Fill Material Can Count as Empty Space

This is where the rule becomes particularly interesting.

You might say:

“My box is not empty. I filled it with paper.”

Under the PPWR calculation, materials such as shredded paper, air cushions, bubble wrap, foam, wood wool, expanded polystyrene and similar filling materials may still count as empty space for the purpose of the ratio.

So the solution is not:

large box + lots of filling material.

The direction is:

packaging that better matches the actual product.

That could significantly change the way online retailers design their packing operations.

From “We Use Three Box Sizes” to “We Use the Right Box for the Order”

For a small online store shipping ten parcels per day, the adjustment may be relatively straightforward.

For a business processing hundreds or thousands of orders, it can become a serious operational challenge.

Online stores may have to analyse:

• which products are frequently ordered together;

• their dimensions;

• the protection required;

• the remaining empty space;

• how much void fill is used;

• the cost of each packaging type.

In practice, many businesses may need more packaging sizes and smarter systems for selecting the right box.

PPWR Could Also Help Reduce Courier Costs

This is where the regulation may create a surprisingly positive effect.

In international shipping, the price is not always based solely on actual kilograms.

Many services also use volumetric weight.

This means a two-kilogram product placed inside a very large box may be charged as if it weighed more.

In other words:

you may be paying to transport air.

Reducing packaging size can therefore create three benefits at the same time:

• less material used;

• less volume transported;

• potentially lower logistics costs.

At that point, PPWR stops being only an environmental compliance issue.

It becomes a logistics optimisation opportunity.

Run a Simple Test on Your Last 100 Orders

If you operate an online store, there is a useful exercise you can do now.

Take your last 100 shipments.

Look at the packaging used.

Then ask:

How much of the total volume was actually occupied by the product?

You may discover that certain product categories are consistently shipped in packaging that is far too large.

Those are the first orders worth optimising.

You may not need 30 different box sizes.

Perhaps five or six well-chosen sizes are enough.

Packaging Still Has to Protect the Product

Reducing packaging does not mean sending fragile products without proper protection.

PPWR focuses on reducing excessive weight and volume while maintaining packaging functionality.

That distinction matters.

The goal is not:

“Use the smallest possible box regardless of risk.”

The goal is:

“Do not use more packaging than necessary to deliver the product safely.”

In logistics, packaging that is too small can be just as problematic as packaging that is too large.

A damaged product creates:

• a return;

• another transport movement;

• additional packaging;

• reshipping;

• an unhappy customer.

Packaging optimisation must therefore be intelligent, not aggressive.

Recyclability Requirements Become Much More Important Toward 2030

PPWR also introduces a major transition toward recyclability.

From January 1, 2030 or 24 months after the relevant delegated acts enter into force, whichever is later, packaging covered by the regulation will have to meet defined recyclability performance classes.

The requirements become even stricter from 2038.

For online stores, this means the packaging supplier will become increasingly important.

The question will no longer be only:

“How much does this box cost?”

You may also need to ask:

“What is it made from?”

“Is it designed for recycling?”

“What documentation can the manufacturer provide?”

Premium Packaging May Also Become a Challenge

Many online brands invest heavily in the unboxing experience.

Box.

Tissue paper.

Plastic.

Insert.

Another box.

Ribbon.

Metallic finish.

Sticker.

Sometimes this is entirely justified by the brand positioning.

But the European direction increasingly discourages unnecessary packaging and combinations that are difficult to recycle.

The modern ecommerce brand will need to find a balance:

premium, but not wasteful.

Food Ecommerce Has an Additional Deadline

For online stores selling food products, there is another important rule close to the 2026 application date.

From August 12, 2026, PPWR introduces limits for certain PFAS substances in food-contact packaging.

Depending on the exact packaging used, this may be relevant to stores shipping:

• gourmet foods;

• coffee;

• bakery products;

• confectionery;

• grease-resistant food packaging;

• other food products.

For these businesses, talking to packaging suppliers about compliance is becoming urgent.

PPWR Also Brings More Harmonised Labelling

The regulation also creates a framework for more harmonised packaging labelling and information relating to material composition and waste sorting.

The objective for consumers is straightforward:

make it easier to understand how packaging should be collected and recycled.

For ecommerce businesses and packaging suppliers, this means packaging markings are likely to become more standardised across Europe over time.

Not every label change suddenly appears on every parcel in August 2026.

But packaging suppliers should already understand the direction of travel.

If You Sell in Several European Countries, the Issue Becomes More Important

A Romanian online store may start with domestic deliveries.

Then expand into:

Bulgaria,

Hungary,

Greece,

Germany,

France,

Italy,

Spain.

At that point, the packaging no longer circulates only in Romania.

It is placed on different national markets and enters different waste-management systems.

PPWR aims to harmonise many packaging sustainability rules at EU level, but Extended Producer Responsibility, registration and reporting obligations remain areas that must be analysed carefully depending on the seller's role and the markets where packaging is placed.

If you sell across several countries, do not automatically assume that compliance handled in Romania covers every situation in Europe.

Etsy, Shopify or Amazon Do Not Change the Physics of Packaging

You can sell through:

• Etsy;

• Amazon;

• Shopify;

• WooCommerce;

• TikTok;

• your own website.

At the end of the process, however, the product still needs to be packed and transported.

A marketplace may change how you find the customer.

It does not change the fact that your packaging must:

• protect the product;

• travel safely;

• comply with applicable rules;

• remain efficient in terms of volume.

That is why PPWR matters even to a relatively small online seller.

What I Would Do Today If I Ran an Online Store

I would not panic.

But I would not wait until 2030 either.

I would start with a simple packaging audit.

I would review:

• the box sizes used most frequently;

• the approximate percentage occupied by the product;

• the amount of void-fill material;

• shipments billed at high volumetric weight;

• transport damage;

• current packaging suppliers;

• packaging materials;

• recyclability;

• the real packaging cost per order.

Then I would look for more efficient alternatives.

Not only because of PPWR.

But because of profitability.

Courier Costs and Packaging Costs Should Be Analysed Together

This may be the most practical lesson for ecommerce.

For years, online stores have treated these two costs separately.

Packaging belonged to the warehouse team.

Shipping was negotiated with the courier.

In reality, they are directly connected.

The box size can affect:

• occupied volume;

• volumetric weight;

• tariff;

• transport capacity;

• product protection;

• returns caused by transport damage.

That means your conversation with your logistics partner should begin before you order the next 20,000 boxes.

How TCE Can Help an Online Store During the Transition

PPWR is a packaging regulation, and legal compliance should be reviewed with packaging suppliers and, when necessary, specialist compliance advisers.

The role of a courier and logistics partner is different.

TCE Courier can help online stores analyse the practical shipping side:

• how parcel dimensions affect shipping cost;

• which service fits Romania or European deliveries;

• how to structure ecommerce shipping for recurring volumes;

• how to estimate costs before entering a new market;

• how packaging and transport interact in domestic and international delivery.

PPWR can therefore become a useful reason to review not only the box, but the entire logistics flow.

Maybe the Problem Is Not the Courier Price. Maybe It Is the Box.

This is a question many online stores should start asking.

When shipping invoices increase, the natural reaction is:

“I need a better courier rate.”

Sometimes that is correct.

But sometimes the parcel is simply too large.

If packaging dimensions can be reduced and products grouped more efficiently, the savings may be greater than a small tariff discount.

PPWR is indirectly forcing ecommerce businesses to look at exactly this problem.

And this may become one of the regulation's most valuable economic effects.

Frequently Asked Questions About PPWR and Ecommerce

What is PPWR?

PPWR stands for Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, officially Regulation (EU) 2025/40. It introduces EU-wide requirements regarding packaging sustainability, minimisation, recyclability, labelling and waste management.

Does PPWR Apply to Online Stores?

Yes. Ecommerce packaging is specifically covered by the regulation where packaging is used to deliver products sold online or via distance selling to the final user.

Does PPWR Apply from August 12, 2026?

The regulation generally starts applying from August 12, 2026, but many individual obligations have later implementation dates.

Does Every Ecommerce Box Need to Have Less Than 50% Empty Space from August 2026?

No.

The 50% empty-space limit for certain grouped, transport and ecommerce packaging applies from January 1, 2030 or three years after the relevant implementing acts enter into force, whichever is later.

Does Bubble Wrap Reduce the Empty-Space Calculation?

Not necessarily.

Under the PPWR framework, materials such as bubble wrap, paper fill, foam or air cushions can still count as empty space for the purpose of the ratio.

Will All Packaging Need to Be Recyclable?

PPWR introduces progressively stricter recyclability requirements, with major performance requirements beginning around 2030 depending on the timetable of delegated acts.

What Changes for Online Food Stores?

From August 12, 2026, limits apply to certain PFAS substances in food-contact packaging. Businesses using affected packaging should discuss compliance with their suppliers.

Can PPWR Reduce Shipping Costs?

PPWR itself does not create courier discounts.

However, if your shipping price is influenced by parcel dimensions, reducing oversized packaging may lower volumetric weight and therefore potentially reduce transport costs.

Do I Need to Replace All My Packaging Immediately?

No.

The requirements are phased.

But 2026 is an excellent time to audit packaging, review suppliers and begin adapting before the stricter rules arrive.

Conclusion: PPWR Is Not Only About Recycling. It Is About the Future of European Ecommerce

For years, online stores treated the box as the final step before the courier arrived.

The product was ready.

The order was processed.

The packaging only needed to protect it.

PPWR gradually changes that thinking.

Packaging becomes part of:

• compliance;

• cost;

• transport;

• customer experience;

• sustainability.

Businesses that start measuring parcels, reducing unnecessary packaging and talking to both packaging suppliers and logistics partners early will have an advantage.

Not simply because European regulation wants them to become “greener.”

But because they may end up transporting less air.

And in ecommerce, sometimes the most expensive thing inside the parcel is the empty space.

Need Support, Details or Practical Advice?

Do you run an online store and want to understand how parcel dimensions affect your shipping costs?

Are you planning to expand across Europe and want to review your logistics flow before increasing volumes?

The TCE Courier team is available to help.

Message us directly on WhatsApp at +40 729 995 205:

Talk to TCE Courier on WhatsApp

Tell us what products you ship, your approximate volumes and the countries you want to reach, and we can discuss the logistics side of your operation.

If You Are Rethinking Packaging, This Is Also the Right Time to Rethink Shipping

PPWR will push many online stores to reconsider parcel dimensions, packaging costs and how orders are prepared.

Use that moment to review the whole logistics flow.

Maybe your products can be packed more efficiently.

Maybe your transport costs can be optimised.

Maybe you can expand into more European markets with a shipping solution built around ecommerce.

Request a TCE Courier shipping quote:

Request an ecommerce courier quote

Do not tell us only how many parcels you ship.

Tell us what you sell, where you want to reach and what your shipments actually look like.

That is where a more efficient logistics strategy can begin.