PPWR Packaging QR Code Labeling Requirements

PPWR requires harmonised packaging labels from 12 August 2028 (or 24 months after the Commission’s implementing acts, whichever is later) and lets manufacturers attach a QR code for sorting and disposal data — the same signed-record format AuthiChain already issues for product authentication.

Why AuthiChain

• A W3C Verifiable Credential is legible to any conforming reader, matching PPWR’s requirement that packaging information not depend on one proprietary app
• One record and one QR code can carry both PPWR sorting data and product authentication — no second code printed on the pack
• PPWR treats the QR code as supplementary: it does not replace the physical label the regulation still requires

How it works

Issue a unique identifier per unit, anchor its record on-chain for tamper-evidence, and let anyone verify it with a single scan. Plans start at $49/mo.

FAQ

When does the QR code labeling requirement take effect?

Harmonised labels are required from 12 August 2028, or 24 months after the Commission’s implementing acts (due by 12 August 2026), whichever is later. Reusable-packaging labeling follows roughly six months after that.

Can a QR code replace the printed PPWR label?

No — PPWR requires the physical label regardless. A QR code can carry additional detail like disposal instructions, but it is not a substitute for what has to be printed on the pack.