From today, new obligations come into force on packaging used to package fresh fruit and vegetable products, in the catering and restaurant sector, for single food portions and in the hospitality sector: they can be placed on the national market for the first time only if biodegradable and compostable and certified as such. This is provided for by the packaging decree-law approved during the Council of Ministers on Tuesday, August 4, and published in the Official Gazette on August 7.
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The packaging involved
Primarily, single-use plastic packaging used for pre-packaged fresh fruit and vegetable products weighing less than 1.5 kg must comply with biodegradability and compostability criteria. The same applies to single-use plastic packaging for food and beverages, filled and intended for consumption in the hotel, restaurant, and catering sector premises.
In the Horeca sector, the new rules will also apply to packaging containing individual portions of condiments, including preserves, sauces, coffee creamers, and sugar. However, exceptions are made for packaging provided with ready-to-go foods intended for immediate consumption without further preparation and those used to ensure safety and hygiene in facilities such as hospitals, clinics, or nursing homes.
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Finally, the new decree also involves single-use flexible packaging for cosmetics and hygiene products used in the hospitality sector for tourists and travelers, intended for individual use and to be disposed of before the arrival of the next guest.
Sanctions
The decree provides fines ranging from 2,500 to 25,000 euros – which will be applied starting January 1, 2030 – for those who violate the new rules, including by using declarations of conformity or other misleading or evasive wording.
