European packaging sustainability efforts spotlight recyclability gap and reuse program

Design for recyclability (DfR) has become central to sustainable packaging, driven by EU regulations such as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. While many brands redesign packaging to meet recyclability criteria, the real‑world recovery chain often fails—issues with consumer disposal, collection systems, sorting facilities, processing infrastructure, and end‑market demand create a "recyclability gap" between theoretical design and actual recycling outcomes.

In France, DS Smith, Denmark‑based start‑up RE‑ZIP, and the Raja Group have launched a one‑year "Reuse Fast Track" pilot. The programme aims to recirculate 250,000 e‑commerce packages, offering participating brands supply‑chain support, a traceability app, and performance monitoring. Executives say the initiative will demonstrate sustainability benefits, commercial profit, and operational efficiency at scale, providing concrete data on large‑scale reuse.

Both developments underline the shift from design‑only sustainability claims toward comprehensive, measurable recovery and reuse pathways in the packaging sector.