On August 12, the EU PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation) will become effective: a significant change for the food industry that redefines the approach to packaging standards, as any packaging that cannot demonstrate its sustainability and recyclability will not be allowed on the market.

In this context, the fresh-cut produce sector still has time to adapt to the regulation until 2030, but it cannot be considered completely unaffected by the changes already underway.

In relation to these developments, EFA News interviewed Demian Becchetti, R&D Director at La Linea Verde, an Italian company specialized in the fresh-cut sector, founded by the Battagliola family in 1991 and with a consolidated revenue of €378 million in the year 2024.

The new EU Packaging Regulation will become effective on August 12: what will be the most significant impacts on your sector?

For our sector, the impact will be considerable and broad-ranging, given that packaging for fresh products is not merely a container: it plays an essential role in product protection, food safety, preservation, and waste reduction. The challenge, therefore, will be to transition toward increasingly recyclable and circular packaging without compromising these functions, while simultaneously maintaining the industrial and economic sustainability of the solutions adopted.

For La Linea Verde, however, the PPWR does not represent a starting point, but rather the acceleration of a journey that began years ago. We established a cross-functional Packaging Solution Team some time ago and are working on mapping our packaging portfolio, ensuring material traceability, and applying the principles of Design for Recycling. This evolution involves the entire supply chain—from material and packaging manufacturers to the food industry and distribution—especially given our role as an industrial partner and co-packer. The central challenge will be to successfully combine environmental sustainability, food safety, quality, efficiency, and economic sustainability.

The fresh-cut produce sector is “safe” for now, but what will happen in 2030?

2030 cannot be considered the starting point for action: to be prepared, we need to start working today. In our industry, every change to packaging requires significant development and approval times, because we handle highly perishable products, and every new solution must be tested for food safety, shelf life, microbiological stability, organoleptic characteristics, and industrial performance. Our direction is therefore clear: to work progressively on eco-design, increase the recyclability of packaging, and, where technically possible, move toward simpler, single-material structures. However, we must not fall into the trap of viewing plastic as “the problem” in and of itself. In the fresh food sector, plastic often plays a fundamental role: what we need to improve is the way it is designed, used, collected, and recovered. The most sustainable solution is the one that ensures the best overall balance between product protection, waste reduction, and material circularity.

As we move toward reducing the use of non-recycled plastic and replacing it with rPET, how will the availability of suitable packaging materials be addressed? 

This is certainly one of the most important issues. In food packaging, it is not enough for a recycled material to simply be available: it must be safe for food contact, meet the highest safety standards, and ensure consistent performance throughout the product’s entire life cycle. The availability of certified post-consumer raw materials, particularly food-grade rPET, will therefore represent a strategic challenge for the entire supply chain. We have already embarked on this path: in the bowls for our Insalatone salads, we use 50% rPET, while for the salad bags we use polypropylene (PP), a material that is highly recyclable within the proper collection systems. Our approach, however, is not limited to the use of recycled materials: we work according to the principles of Design for Recycling, creating packaging that is increasingly easy to recycle and compatible with recovery systems.

Looking ahead, it will be essential to strengthen our co-innovation partnership with packaging manufacturers and develop a long-term strategy. This is a systemic challenge that requires increasingly efficient recycling supply chains, industrial investments, and a growing supply of certified post-consumer recycled materials.

The recyclability of packaging (“Design for Recycling”) can no longer be avoided. Will changes be delayed until 2030 or will they happen in the near future?

We won’t wait until 2030: Design for Recycling has long been part of our design approach. We use FSC®-certified cardboard; we’ve introduced rPET into our Insalatone bowls; our beverage bottles are a prime example of the use of recycled plastic, containing 30% rPET; and we’ve developed eco-design solutions for other packaging as well. We will therefore continue to make progressive changes, but with one principle that is non-negotiable for us: every innovation must be scientifically and industrially validated. Changing packaging to make it theoretically more sustainable, if this results in a shorter shelf life for the product and thus greater food waste, risks producing a result opposite to the one desired.

With new packaging, consumers might perceive the product differently and may not be sure they’re buying the exact same product. Will there be a campaign to help consumers recognize the new packaging as a sign of quality and a guarantee of food safety?

We believe that communication will play a key role, although it is too early to discuss a specific campaign at this time. Any significant change in packaging must be accompanied by clear, simple, and verifiable information that explains to consumers what is changing and, above all, what remains the same: the quality and safety of the product.

We believe transparency is essential. Environmental credibility is built on data, not slogans, and this holds true even when introducing new packaging. We will need to help consumers understand its environmental value, while at the same time reassuring them about its performance and safety. But there is also a second aspect: properly communicating how to manage packaging at the end of its life. Eco-design and corporate investments can only fully generate value if accompanied by effective recycling and proper separation of materials. The transition, therefore, will require not only new packaging but also more information and a stronger culture of recycling.