Choosing packaging material is a strategic step for any brand wishing to combine product performance, environmental coherence, and regulatory compliance. In 2025, with the implementation of the European PPWR regulation, brands are encouraged to rethink their packaging to meet new requirements.
But between recyclable materials, mono-materials, or barrier films, how to make the right choices?
Why the choice of material is crucial
The material used for your packaging influences much more than the product’s aesthetics. It determines:
- its preservation (barrier to air, moisture, UV),
- its logistical performance (weight, flexibility, robustness),
- its environmental impact,
- and its compliance with current standards.
To fully understand this strategic role, it is useful to revisit the 7 main functions of packaging.
Overview of the main flexible packaging materials
Here is an overview of the most common materials in the flexible packaging sector, with their characteristics and uses.
▪️ PET / PE (multi-material structure)
A classic in packaging: it offers a good barrier and excellent sealability. Ideal for a wide range of food, cosmetic, or household products.
▪️ Metallised PET
This material incorporates a thin layer of metal, usually aluminium, to enhance the barrier against light, oxygen, or moisture. Perfect for coffee, crisps, or tea.
▪️ Recyclable mono-material PE
An increasingly adopted solution. By eliminating the complexity of multi-material structures, mono-material facilitates recycling, particularly within the framework of the PPWR 2025 packaging regulation. To understand its concrete advantages, discover why to choose mono-material packaging for your brand?
Integrating regulatory requirements and anticipating changes
In a rapidly transforming European context, packaging regulations are evolving quickly and directly impacting the choice of materials. For brands and manufacturers, anticipating these changes is essential to avoid costly redesigns, non-compliance issues, or even loss of image.
The PPWR 2025 (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation), for example, establishes strict rules favouring the exclusive use of recyclable materials, banning complex multi-layered packaging that is difficult to recycle. This regulation aims to strengthen the circular economy in Europe by facilitating the collection, sorting, and recovery of packaging waste.
Furthermore, the PFAS 2026 law prohibits the use of certain chemical coatings found in food packaging, deemed harmful to health and the environment. This ban particularly concerns perfluoroalkyl substances used for their resistance to grease and water, which can migrate into food.
Finally, the European plastic tax introduces a significant surcharge on packaging that does not contain a minimum share of recycled or non-recyclable materials, prompting stakeholders to rethink their material choices to control costs and limit their environmental footprint.
To explore these topics further, consult our articles:
– PPWR 2025: Anticipate European packaging requirements
– PFAS banned in food packaging: Law 2026
Mono-material PE: a response to regulatory challenges
In this demanding regulatory context, mono-material PE (polyethylene) emerges as a pragmatic and effective solution. Today, it is one of the few truly recyclable flexible materials within existing channels, making it perfectly aligned with the objectives of the PPWR.
Unlike multi-layer packaging that combines aluminium, plastic, and other composite films which are often difficult or even impossible to recycle, the mono-material PE facilitates waste recovery and limits plastic pollution. It is therefore a relevant choice for brands wishing to adopt more ecological packaging, as explained in detail in our article: What is the most ecological packaging pouch?
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