Compostable PLU Labels: Preparing for the EU PPWR Deadline
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) will require sticky labels on fruit and vegetables to be industrially compostable by February 2028. Linerless formats help retailers hit the mandate while cutting plastic waste even further.
What the Regulation Says
PPWR singles out produce stickers: they must be compostable in controlled industrial conditions. That makes end-of-life properties mandatory - not optional marketing claims. Plastic liners attached to traditional die-cut labels are an obvious point of failure.
Building a Compliant Linerless Construction
- Substrates: Bio-based films like PLA or wood-pulp-derived NatureFlex deliver printability and tensile strength.
- Adhesives: Choose EN 13432 certified, food-contact safe adhesives to avoid contamination of compost streams.
- No liner: Eliminating the silicone-coated backing removes a non-compostable component and simplifies material accounting.
Operational Advantages
A linerless roll uses less material, so even tiny PLU labels consume minimal resources. Variable-length cutting lets packhouses size labels to different fruit calibres without ordering multiple SKUs, reducing obsolescence and waste.
How to Get Ready
- Audit current PLU SKUs and volumes to forecast compostable media needs ahead of the February 2028 deadline.
- Validate adhesion on waxy and porous skins (citrus vs. apples) to balance tack with easy consumer removal.
- Update packaging data for EPR reporting - linerless compostable constructions simplify the packaging bill of materials.
By shifting to compostable linerless media now, retailers and packers avoid last-minute scrambles and demonstrate credible progress on circular packaging goals.