From August 2026, no more PFAS, and from 2030 goodbye to single-dose sachets of ketchup, mayonnaise and plastic bottles in hotels. The stages of the Brussels regulation, the exceptions and alternatives
Goodbye to sachets of ketchup, mayonnaise, oil and sweeteners on the tables of bars and restaurants. And also stop using single-use bottles of shampoo and shower gel in hotels. This is established by the new European Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (PPWR), which came into force in February 2025, with which Brussels aims to reduce packaging waste per capita by 15% by 2040, as well as limit pollution and the use of harmful chemical substances.
Don’t be alarmed, though: this isn’t an immediate ban. The revolution will be gradual, over several years. And for consumers one thing is certain: ketchup won’t disappear from the table, it’ll just change the way it’s served.
Single-dose sachets prohibited: what the European regulation really provides
For months, August 12, 2026 was held up as the watershed date for the end of single-dose sachets. In reality, the European Packaging Regulation does not introduce a clear cut, but a progressive path. The most relevant bans for the restaurant sector will in fact only come into effect from January 1, 2030. From that moment on, in the premises of the HORECA sector (bars, restaurants, hotels and cafes) it will no longer be allowed to use disposable plastic packaging. However, this does not mean that 2026 is irrelevant. From the August 12 of that year packaging in contact with food that exceeds the PFAS thresholds established by the regulation will no longer be able to be placed on the market. PFAS, substances used to make paper and plastic resistant to fats and liquids, are known as “eternal pollutants” because they persist in the environment and accumulate in living organisms. Consequently, from 12 August 2026 until the definitive stop in 2030 the sachets will continue to exist, but they will have to be made with alternative materials, free of PFAS and compliant with the new European rules, with higher costs for producers.
Not just ketchup: what will really disappear by 2030 for the new European packaging regulation
The ban doesn’t just affect ketchup and mayonnaise sachets. From 1 January 2030 the European regulation also provides for it stop using single-use bottles of shampoo, shower gel and soap in hotelswhich will be replaced by refillable dispensers.
Also from 2030 it will no longer be allowed to package portions of less than 1.5 kilograms of fresh fruit and vegetables in disposable plasticexcept in specific cases linked to documented risks of deterioration. Also in bars and restaurantsyou will no longer be able to use disposable plastic plates, cups and glasses for table service.
Ban on single-dose sachets: exceptions, alternatives and impacts for consumers and businesses
However, the regulation provides for some exceptions. Single-dose sachets will remain permitted for takeaway and delivery and in healthcare facilities, such as hospitals and nursing homes, where individual dosage and hygiene needs are fundamental. For the rest, bars and restaurants will have to rethink the service, focusing on refillable dispensers, common containers and washable or reusable solutions.
Another key passage concerns the take away: by February 2028, operators will have to offer customers the possibility of purchasing takeaway food and drinks in reusable containers, even brought from home, without surcharges. Companies in the sector will therefore have several years to adapt, but those who do not respect the new rules will risk sanctions and, in the most serious cases, exclusion from the European single market.
And in any case, in the end, from 2030, ketchup and mayonnaise will not disappear from Italian restaurants. Disposable plastic sachets will disappear: in their place there will be dispensers and containers designed to reduce waste and waste.
