PLM Blog & Insights | Trace One

Trace One Unveils Three-Pillar Approach to PPWR & EPR Compliance for Private Label and Global Brands

Written by Trace One | 28 May 2026

Built on the Trace One PLM platform, the approach centralizes packaging data, automates compliance checks, and monitors recyclability performance — helping brands across food & beverage, cosmetics, and chemicals operationalize PPWR readiness ahead of 12 August 2026 enforcement.

PARIS, May 28, 2026 — Trace One, a global PLM and regulatory compliance platform partnering with over 9,000 brands worldwide, today detailed its three-pillar approach to support brand owner compliance with the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR — Regulation EU 2025/40) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations, ahead of PPWR’s 12 August 2026 application date. The approach — anchored on Trace One’s PLM platform — addresses packaging data governance, regulatory compliance and reporting, and recyclability performance monitoring for brand owners operating across the EU and key export markets. 

A three-pillar approach to PPWR & EPR readiness

The PPWR affects an estimated 30,000+ EU brand owners across food & beverage, cosmetics, and chemicals. Trace One’s approach addresses private label and global brand owners’ core PPWR and EPR challenges through three pillars: building a single source of truth for packaging data, ensuring scalable compliance and reporting readiness, and  monitoring recyclability performance across markets.

Pillar 1 — A single source of truth for packaging data

The Trace One platform centralizes supplier packaging data — composition, materials, weights, recyclability properties, and supporting evidence such as certificates and test results — in a standardized PPWR-aligned format. A dedicated supplier portal supports custom fields and questionnaires for data collection, helping brand owners reduce non-compliance risk, improve data completeness, and ensure consistency across products, suppliers, and markets.

Pillar 2 — Scalable compliance and reporting readiness

The platform supports automated compliance checks against PPWR thresholds, including the <25 ppb individual PFAS, <250 ppb sum of PFAS, and <50 ppm total fluorine limits for food-contact packaging applying from 12 August 2026 (PPWR Article 5(5)). It is designed to generate PPWR Declarations of Conformity in minutes — auto-adapting for required languages and markets — with full versioning and traceability of checks, evidence, and approvals.

Pillar 3 — Recyclability performance and EPR readiness

Ready-to-use dashboards monitor core packaging KPIs — materials, recyclability, recycled content, risks — and help brand owners prioritize redesign and track progress against PPWR recyclability targets. Country-specific PRO dashboards support France's AGEC compliance through Trace One's partnership with CITEO, UK regulatory submissions, and US recyclability calculations co-designed with leading retailers — addressing the country-by-country reporting complexity that defines EPR readiness.

"PPWR compliance is now a data discipline"

"PPWR compliance is now a data discipline, not a paperwork project," said Laetitia Pires, Product Marketing Manager for Sustainability Solutions at Trace One. "Private label retailers and global brands need centralized packaging data, automated compliance checks, and audit-ready declarations in production — at scale, across the markets where they operate."

The approach follows the European Commission’s publication of Notice C(2026) 2151 final on 30 March 2026, the authoritative guidance interpreting PPWR provisions ahead of the 12 August 2026 application date.

About Trace One

With more than 30 years of industry expertise, Trace One partners with over 9,000 brands across food & beverage, cosmetics, and chemicals to accelerate product development and turn regulatory complexity into a competitive advantage. Our AI-powered PLM platform, with regulatory intelligence spanning 170+ countries, supports the entire product manufacturing lifecycle — helping brands bring market-leading products to shelf faster and thrive in new markets.

Media Contact

Saida Ait
VP Global Marketing, Trace One