Practical packaging guidance for Pimarket sellers, including additional responsibilities that can apply when packaged products are sold and shipped to customers in the European Union.
All Pimarket sellers must use packaging that is appropriate for the product, secure for transport, and suitable for every destination they enable. Sellers are responsible for checking the packaging, product-safety, labelling, courier, customs, and environmental requirements that apply in the destination country.
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2025/40, covers packaging placed on the EU market regardless of where that packaging or the packaged product originates. A seller supplying packaged products directly to an EU customer may have responsibilities as a producer or other economic operator under EU and national rules.
Choose a box, mailer, bag, or other format that closely fits the packed product while leaving enough room for protection, closures, and shipping labels. Use sufficient cushioning to prevent damage during handling and transport, especially for fragile, liquid, irregularly shaped, or multi-item orders.
Avoid oversized packaging, unnecessary layers, and excessive empty space. Packaging minimisation does not mean sacrificing hygiene, safety, product protection, or legally required information. Enter the real outside dimensions and packed weight in Pimarket rather than using only the dimensions of the product itself.
Plastic cushioning materials are not described here as universally prohibited. Sellers should reduce unnecessary material, prefer recyclable or lower-impact alternatives where suitable, and check the specific material and waste rules of the destination country.
Regulation (EU) 2025/40 generally applies from 12 August 2026, but individual duties and technical requirements take effect on different dates. Sellers should not assume that every future target already applies or that one packaging approach is compliant in every EU country.
Among the phased measures, economic operators that fill grouped, transport, or e-commerce packaging must meet a maximum 50% empty-space ratio by 1 January 2030 or three years after the relevant EU calculation methodology takes effect, whichever is later. Filling material is counted as empty space for that calculation. Other recyclability, recycled-content, labelling, restriction, and reuse measures follow their own timelines and exceptions.
EU extended producer responsibility requirements can include registering in a national packaging producer register, joining or appointing a producer responsibility organisation, reporting packaging information, paying applicable fees, and appointing an authorised representative where required. The exact process can differ by Member State and by the seller's role.
Pimarket may request registration numbers, declarations, authorised-representative details, supporting documents, or other evidence before allowing sales to an EU destination. EU destination availability may be restricted when required compliance information is missing, expired, inaccurate, or cannot be verified.
Confirm that the packaging is suitable for the product, the parcel is securely closed, unnecessary space and material have been avoided, and the product will remain protected through normal courier handling.
Confirm that the packed weight and outside dimensions match the listing, required shipping and product labels are present, restricted or hazardous contents have been declared, and destination-specific packaging and producer-responsibility requirements have been checked.
Non-compliant packaging can lead to damage, shipping delays, customs or market-surveillance action, additional costs, penalties, refusal, return, listing restrictions, or suspension of affected destination sales.
This page is general marketplace guidance and is not legal advice. It does not replace Regulation (EU) 2025/40, later EU implementing measures, national packaging laws, courier rules, or requirements specific to a product or destination. Sellers should obtain qualified advice where they are uncertain about their obligations.
Last reviewed: 31 August 2026.
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