Plastic bottles pollute, we're not telling you anything new. The consequences of this pollution are clearly visible, whether on beaches or in our food, contaminated with microplastics. Faced with this environmental crisis, the European Union has decided to take a radical decision. Following the adoption of the SUP (Single Use Plastic) Directive in 2019, new regulations came into force to reduce the impact of plastic bottles on the environment.
Here's what will change
These measures concern consumers, but also manufacturers. Specifically, the EU is calling for an end to single-use plastic waste, which accounts for the largest portion of pollution linked to petrochemical packaging derivatives worldwide. A first directive, adopted in 2019, already required manufacturers to produce plastic bottles with solid caps, in order to prevent the caps from being dispersed into nature.
Since January 2025, all PET plastic bottles must contain at least 25% recycled plastic. And this percentage will also evolve in the coming years, reaching 30% in 2030. While the decision makes sense, it is not unanimous. This is because we will have to permanently transform our consumption habits.
For the planet, and your wallet
Manufacturers will have to adapt to these changes for plastic bottles. While this decision is beneficial for the environment, it will still have a direct impact on consumers. By investing in new materials to implement this measure, the price of plastic bottles is likely to skyrocket. Especially since, alongside these new recycling requirements, the Senate recently approved a significant increase in VAT on plastic water bottles, raising it from 5.5% to 20%. A bottle that used to cost €0.60 could now cost you €0.68, while a six-pack of bottles at €3 could climb to around €3.40.
An important health decision
Furthermore, the European Union has also banned the intentional addition of microplastics to certain products. This particularly concerns cosmetics, detergents, and cleaning products. The latter release more than 500,000 tons of microplastics into the environment each year, weighing heavily not only on energy bills but also on consumer health.
These measures come in a worrying context for the European plastics industry, which saw its production fall by 8.3% in 2023. Even the production of recycled plastics decreased by 7.8%, which could complicate the implementation of recycling targets. With these new regulations, the European Union is pushing manufacturers to invest in recycling, but already prepares consumers for higher prices.
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