Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland
On May 19, 2025, The Nordic Council of Ministers published a report analyzing different proposals for grouping endocrine disruptors and “[f]or each case example, advantages, challenges, uncertainties and regulatory perspectives were discussed, and learnings were extracted.” Using this information, “recommendations for grouping of EDs [endocrine disruptors] were developed and incorporated in a simplified workflow.”
Denmark
A draft Danish FCM [food contact material] Act completed public comment in late May 2025. The act adds Danish-specific regulations to ceramics/glassware and paper & board FCMs under the broader umbrella of the European Union’s Regulation (EC) No., 1935/2004, as well as broader rules for Declarations of Conformity (DoCs) for FCMs in Denmark.
According to the testing, inspection, and certification company SGS, the Act mandates “a DoC to accompany FCMs placed on the market at a stage prior to the retail stage (Annex 1). Requires ceramic articles which are not yet in contact with food to be accompanied by a DoC for marketing stages up to and including the retail stage.” It also revises a positive list of chemicals for use in regenerated cellulose films, tightens migration limits for glass/ceramic/enamelware, and prohibits per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). in paper & board unless there is a functional barrier between the product and the food.
Germany
The first deposits and payments for Germany’s Single-Use Plastics Fund Act were paid out in the Spring of 2025. According to the German Environment Agency (UBA), since January 1, 2024, manufacturers have been obligated to pay fees for the single-use plastics they place on the German market. Manufacturers had to register with the system by the end of 2024 with verifications, payments to the program, and payments from the program to local waste management, taking place through the winter and spring of 2025. Any manufacturer that violates the process can be fined up to 100,000 euros.
According to reporting from ChemicalWatch, “Germany’s Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) has delayed resubmitting its proposed group REACH restriction for bisphenols” (FPF reported).
Iceland
According to reporting from Packaging Europe, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Surveillance Authority (ESA), “has referred Iceland to the EFTA Court for its reported failure to enforce rules to prevent packaging waste, regulate the types of packaging brought to market, and manage operations at landfill sites.” ESA argues in two cases that the country has not fulfilled obligations related to the Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste and the Waste Framework Directive.
Ireland
In April 2025, LetsRecycle reported on the outcomes from Ireland’s first year running a deposit return scheme for beverage bottles. Over 1 billion containers were returned across the country. The Irish return program accepts polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and aluminum cans in sizes up to three liters, each container with a deposit of 15 cents for the smaller containers or 25 cents for anything over 500 ml. The program coordinators are planning more collection points in 2025.
Moldova
In March 2025, the Environment Ministry announced a deposit return scheme for single-use and reusable plastic, glass, and aluminum drink containers. The system will be mandatory across Moldova, and deposit points will have to be available within 150 meters of where beverages are sold.
Netherlands
The Dutch government announced in April 2025 that the current fees charged to customers for using single-use containers and cups from food establishments will be abolished. Starting January 1, 2026, the extra surcharge no longer applies to disposable food service containers, but offering and accepting reusables remains mandatory.
Portugal
On January 1, 2025, a 2017 Decree mandating harmonized symbols and instructions for packaging waste disposal came into effect. According to the Trimco Group, as of June 2025, “the official list of permitted disposal practices per material and packaging type has not yet been published.” Trimco describes the interim measures in their article, which is detailed more fully in a spreadsheet provided by the Portuguese Environment Agency.
Romania
In late 2023, Romania launched a deposit return scheme for beverage containers with collection points across Romanian population centers. By early 2025, more than 3.5 billion containers had been returned with an >80% return as of October 2024. The Ministry of Environment, Water, and Forests said in a press release in April 2025 that involvement continues to increase. The system will be expanded into rural communities throughout 2025.
Switzerland
On June 2, 2025, the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) updated the Ordinance on Food Contact Materials and Articles, aligning Swiss law more closely with European Union standards (FPF reported). A key element of the revision is a ban on the use of bisphenol A (BPA, CAS 80-05-7) and other hazardous bisphenols and their derivatives in coatings and varnishes used on FCMs, except for large industrial containers (over 1,000 liters) (FPF reported).
On June 25, 2025, the Swiss Federal Council (Bundesrat) made a bundle of amended ordinances related to environmental law available for public consultation. The changes are meant to support a circular economy in Switzerland and include waste and packaging ordinances. The proposals include extended producer-responsibility obligations beyond drinking bottles to all packaging formats, raise recycling targets, prioritize reuse and recycling over other waste treatment options, and introduce both a nationwide littering fine and tougher penalties for large-scale illegal dumping. The proposed changes to all the circular economy-related ordinances are open to public consultation until October 16, 2025 (FPF reported).
United Kingdom
The Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland have jointly concluded “there is not enough evidence to confirm the safety of [ocean bound plastic] used in food packaging and that it does not impact health.” The organizations are asking British businesses not to use plastics collected from the environment in food packaging applications. This does not apply to packaging made from standard household recycling.
This article is part of a series from the Food Packaging Forum reviewing global regulatory and waste management regulation from Q1 and Q2 2025. Other articles in the series cover US states, South and Southeast Asia, South America, and Africa and the Middle East.
References
Nordic Council of Ministers (May 19, 2025). “Development of recommendations for grouping of endocrine disruptors.” Norden
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (April 4, 2025). “Consultation on the draft Executive Order on Food Contact Materials and on Criminal Provisions for Infringements of Related Union Acts.” (in Danish)
SGS (June 10, 2025). “Denmark Proposes New Law for Food Contact Materials.”
UBA (December 16, 2024). “Manufacturers of single-use plastic products must register by 31 December: Current deadline for the Single-Use Plastic Fund expires at the end of 2024.” (in German)
Andrew Turley (January 31, 2025). “Germany delays resubmitting withdrawn bisphenols restriction proposal to 2026.” ChemicalWatch News & Insight
Packaging Europe (April 11, 2025). “Iceland referred to EFTA Court over incomplete packaging waste restrictions.”
EFTA Surveillance Authority (April 9, 2025). “EFTA surveillance authority decision…on the landfill of waste…” (pdf)
EFTA Surveillance Authority (April 9, 2025). “EFTA surveillance authority decision…on packaging and packaging waste…” (pdf)
Savannah Coombe (April 10, 2025). “Ireland marks a year of DRS with 1.2b returns.” LetsRecycle
Moldpres (March 23, 2025). “Single-use, reusable packaging to be able to be returned against payment in Moldova.”
Netherlands Enterprise Agency. “No more surcharge for disposable plastic cups and containers to go.”
Portuguese Environment Agency (December 18, 2024). “List of good practices on correct disposal in recycling bins.” (in Portuguese)
Trimco Group (June 25, 2025). “Portugal packaging waste regulation 2025: Sorting instructions for reusable and non-reusable packaging.”
Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests (April 4, 2025). “The guarantee-return system accelerates: Over 348 million packages collected in March.” (in Romanian)
Sensoneo (February 11, 2025). “Romania’s Deposit Return Scheme: A game changer for sustainability.” Waste Management World
Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (June 02, 2025). “Verordnung des EDI über Materialien und Gegenstände, die dazu bestimmt sind, mit Lebensmitteln in Berührung zu kommen (Bedarfsgegenständeverordnung) – Änderung vom 2. Juni 2025.” (in German, also available in French and Italian)
Government of Switzerland (June 25, 2025). “Federal Council sends amended ordinances to strengthen the circular economy for consultation.” (in German, also available in French and Italian).
Food Standards Scotland (May 8, 2025). “FSS and the FSA publish new advice for businesses on using ocean bound plastics for food packaging.”
