FAQs

PPWR stands for Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. The aim of this European regulation is to significantly reduce waste from the packaging sector across Europe.
On 16 December 2024, the Council of the European Union adopted the new Packaging Regulation as part of the Green Deal, making it final. Publication in the Official Journal of the EU took place at the end of January and the regulation came into force on 11 February 2025. Most of the provisions of the Regulation will apply from 12 August 2026. However, for plant packaging a transition period has been granted until 31 December 2029.
After this date, the use of single-use plastic packaging in the B2B sector will no longer be permitted for national transport and transport within a company group.
For transport from one into another member state, the use of 40% reusable packaging will be sufficient from 2030 until 2040. Only then the 100% regulation will apply.
At present, cardboard packaging is not yet subject to the PPWR regulations and can continue to be used after 1 January 2030.

Over the next few months, the downstream legislation for the PPWR will be drafted. Minimum numbers of rotations to qualify as reuse packaging will then also be defined. Currently a minimum of 30 rotations is being discussed for packaging in the fruit/vegetable and plant sector. It is particularly important for the EU to prevent greenwashing and establish clear definitions.

The use of packaging must already be reported today. In Germany, for example, this is done to the ZSVR (Central Packaging Register Centre). From 1 January 2030, this will also apply to many types of packaging that were previously not subject to reporting. In addition to the pure reporting obligations, there will be authorities that monitor compliance with the regulations.

The PPWR applies in all EU member states. Disregarding it would be a deliberate breach of legal regulations. The same measures apply here as for other breaches of the law. To allow companies time to establish new systems, a transition period has been set until 31 December 2029. 

Cross-border deliveries directly from the producer to the retailer are rare. Much more common is the delivery from the producer to the wholesaler - usually a national transport; then the transport from the wholesaler to the final sale or the central retail warehouse – usually a national or cross-border transport; from the central warehouse to the individual shops - a transport within a company. In the upstream process of national delivery from the producer to the wholesaler and the final step, delivery from the central warehouse to the individual shops within a company group, the use of 100% reusable packaging is de facto necessary throughout the entire supply chain, as neither the wholesaler nor the central retail warehouse will be repackaging for upstream or downstream processes.

Reusable is more expensive than disposable, isn't it?
Of course, the purchase of a sturdy reusable tray is initially more cost-intensive than the comparably thinner disposable packaging. Euro Plant Tray supports the industry in switching to sustainable reusable packaging with rental models that protect the users’ liquidity. A simple calculation example shows that the use of reusable packaging offers cost benefits from as little as 4 cycles per year.

At least 100 rotations respectively 10 years of use are guaranteed by the EPT manufacturers. With normal use, however, it can be assumed that the utilisation period will be twice as long. Units that are no longer usable (‘end of life’) are granulated and used as rmaterial for further productions. 
During the hire period, EPT tray can be used as often as you like. The more often this is, the lower the costs per use.

In 2020, the European Parliament adopted the compromise on the long-term EU budget and thus introduced a levy on non-recycled used plastic packaging, the so-called ‘plastic tax’. Since 2021, part of the EU member states' contributions are calculated according to the national recycling volumes of plastic products.
The costs for this EU tax are handled differently in the countries: either the state pays from its own funds (e.g. Germany until the end of 2025) or the costs are handed over to the parties introducing packaging to the market (e.g. Spain, Italy, UK), with the amount of the costs varying from country to country.
Costs for the plastic tax may have to be included in the process costs for deliveries with disposable packaging.

No, Euro Plant Trays are offered in various rental packages. A purchase is not possible, EPT trays always remain the property of Euro Plant Tray eG, which is responsible for a functioning pool.

EPT offers rental models of 1, 3, 5 and 10 years. Leases of 3 years or more can either be paid in advance or in annual instalments to protect liquidity and support the transition towards sustainable packaging. 

EPTs can be ordered directly from EPT: Please use our contact form

Similar to the handling of CC containers, it is up to the partners within a supply chain to decide how to register and track the returnable units. A good solution is IT-supported loadcarrier management, where partners can regularly track all bookings and confirm balances to each other. In addition to such an item bookkeeping, a deposit can be charged to prevent any losses at an early stage. The deposit value of an EPT tray is €3 net throughout Europe, regardless of the EPT model.

At the end of each financial year (31 December), clients will have to confirm their stock level to EPT. In this process, you also inform us if there have been any losses during the year. You will receive a respective loss invoice corresponding to the deposit and replacement value of the trays in the net amount of € 3. After receipt of payment, EPT GmbH will make the lost tray quantity available to you again so that your contract stock corresponds to the original quantity at the start of the season.

The EPT Pool Operator is the competence centre for everything to do with EPT logistics.
On the one hand, the Pool Operator manages the various depots in Europe and ensures that stocks are balanced between the different locations. New contracts can be collected here, contract quantities can be returned or broken EPT trays can be exchanged. These services are all covered by the payment of the annual Pool Operator Fee as part of the EPT rents.
Do you need transport to deliver or collect quantities? Would you like to outsource your loadcarrier management so that you can concentrate on your core business?
The EPT Pool Operator also operates several locations for cleaning EPT trays and will be happy to make you an offer tailored to your needs of other services.

Locations

Contact Pool Operator

Contact Pool Operator

EPT depots will be established throughout Europe in co-operation with our partners and the needs of users over the coming years. Please note that prior notification is required for the collection or delivery of EPT trays.

Locations

EPT trays are equipped with the 3 common labels of today's technologies:

1. the barcode is generic and represents the item and model name, it can be used e.g. to scan trays at the checkout at a retailer to the consumer against a deposit.
2. Both the 2D data matrix code and the RFID label also contain the individual serial number of the specific tray. This gives you the option of further automating your processes and, for example, linking the transported goods to the serial number of the tray. In each further step of your supply chain, it is then sufficient to scan the tray to collect all information regarding the transported goods. Also consider roller conveyors with scanners, where trays can be automatically assigned to the next location in the distribution.

The costs depend on the functions you require. Simple scanners are available from just a few €100. Let our technology partners advise you.

Contact:

For RFID starter kit and technical support: EECC
For technical connection: Winckel

The cost of an RFID gate depends heavily on the conditions at your location and the desired functionalities. Let our technology partners advise you.

Contact:

For RFID starter kit and technical support: EECC
For technical connection: Winckel

The integrated EPT labels can replace your own labels if you link the information to the serial number of the tray in your IT system. This not only saves labelling paper, but also work steps such as label printing and placement of labels. As EPT labels are linked to the tray, they cannot get lost on their way through the supply chain.
If you want to continue using your own labels, please use the dotted areas on the trays, as labels can be removed easily and without leaving much residue.
 

EPT trays can be counted manually, using RFID or 2D data matrix scanning. The advantage of technical scanning is that the quantities can be transferred directly to your loadcarrier management system. There is no need for manual re-entry.

Please use our contact form.

There is time until 31 December 2029 to implement your solution to the PPWR regulations, but the implementation of reusable systems throughout the supply chain takes time. Talk to your partners now about when which steps should be taken and reserve your required quantities.

You can easily calculate your requirements with our requirements calculator!

Is it really worth stockpiling what we need for the few weeks of the peak season? Are we sustainable if we store these quantities unused for a large part of the year? We hear these questions regularly - the answer depends on your business circumstances. There are currently still exemptions for cardboard packaging, which can be a good alternative. How do neighbouring companies work? Do they have a season timed differently than your business? Then you can share stocks with each other.

The EPT Pool Operator manages wash depots at several locations in Europe. You are welcome to contact him for a customised offer. 

However, you are also free to conclude your own contracts with local cleaning companies.

It was the wish of members and market alike that return transports should organised independently of EPTs. Many companies have an existing set-up for CC and EC containers that has been working for years; the return of empty EPTs can easily be added to these processes. 
The EPT Pool Operator will be happy to advise you on the subject of transport optimisation and support you with an individual offer should you want to outsource your return transport. 
 

Contact Pool Operator 

By reserving a slot, you are already reserving your production capacity today, even if you are not planning to introduce the returnable system until the next few years. Please contact us to secure your production slot today!

Contact form

Many companies are focussing on their day-to-day business today and are not yet thinking about 2030. We therefore advise you to reserve your required quantities today and claim a ‘slot’ in our production to ensure that you can introduce EPT trays in compliance with the law by 2030 at the latest.

Yes, EPT trays can be handled with a deposit both B2B and in contact with the end customer. The standardised deposit amount in Europe is €3 net.

Yes, the subletting of EPT trays is contractually permitted.

As of March 2025, Euro Plant Tray eG has 31 members from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France and Norway. 

The members represent all stages of the green supply chain: producers, wholesalers, retailers, marketplaces and industry associations.
 

Euro Plant Tray eG allows membership for all companies in the horticultural sector; only transport companies and packaging producers are excluded from membership.

EPT membership costs a one-off fee of €50,000 per share and offers, among other things, a price advantage when renting. If you rent 100,000 EPT trays or more, you will have earned back the membership fee after just 5 years. In addition, profit distributions will be shared with the members. Each member can acquire up to three shares.