Sustainable catering: new EU rules that will reshape the industry
June 2025
Investing in circular solutions means not only complying with the rules but also anticipating the market and becoming a player in change.
The entire Horeca world is moving towards an increasingly circular future: goodbye disposable, room for reuse. With the entry into force of the European Regulation (EU 2025/40) on packaging management, the PPWR - Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, restaurants, bars, hotels and catering companies will have to give up disposable packaging and embrace more sustainable models based on reuse, waste reduction and circularity.
Deadlines to keep in mind:
- from 12 February 2027, all operators offering take-away food and drinks will have to allow customers to use their own reusable containers
- from 12 February 2028, restaurants, hotels and caterers (excluding micro-businesses) will be obliged to use reusable packaging within structured systems that enable its reintroduction into the life cycle, reducing waste and promoting sustainability
- from 1 January 2030, at least 10% of beverages on the market must be available in reusable packaging.
Concrete solutions: tap water and returnable empties
If the Regulation encourages caterers to promote the use of drinking water that is served for free or at a low cost in reusable containers, FIPE (Federazione Italiana Pubblici Esercizi) considers the returnable vacuum system, which is already used in other sectors, to be a key element in adapting to the new scenario. This would not only help caterers to comply with regulations but also enable them to differentiate themselves in the market, build loyalty among a clientele that is more conscious of sustainability, and reduce packaging costs in the medium to long term. These two simple yet effective strategies could be pivotal in the green transition of the catering industry.
Incentives in the field for a new market standard
Decree No. 387/2024 of the Ministry of the Environment has set contributions at EUR 10 million, for now limited to Environmental Economic Zones (ZEA - Zone Economiche Ambientali). It envisages:
- up to EUR 10,000 non-repayable for those who started up returnable vacuum systems in 2022
- tax credits for those who have recognised discounts on packaging returns.
Applications are open from 4 to 30 June 2025; a first step that could anticipate new incentives on a national scale.
In Italy, too, the regulatory framework is adapting: Article 219-bis of Legislative Decree 152/2006 already provides for mandatory deposit and reuse for plastic, glass and metal packaging. The implementing decree is missing, but the path is now mapped out.