December 4, 2025
Eurostat has published the EU’s new packaging waste figures for 2023. For the first time in years, they show a clear reduction in the amount of waste generated per capita. At the same time, it becomes evident that structural differences between EU Member States remain significant – and that plastic packaging, in particular, continues to make the path towards European targets a challenging one.
In 2023, the EU generated 79.7 million tonnes of packaging waste, equivalent to 177.8 kg per capita, around 8.7 kg less than in 2022.After years of increases – peaking at 190.1 kg in 2021 – this decline suggests that initial measures are beginning to take effect, including:
- Design-for-recycling requirements
- Packaging optimisation
- National reduction measures
- Improved collection and recovery rates
The composition of packaging waste in the EU:
In 26 of the 27 EU Member States, paper/cardboard was also the largest waste stream in 2023. The only exception was Bulgaria (2022), where plastics were marginally higher.
The range for plastics varies significantly:
from 16.0% in Luxembourg to 29.8% in Ireland.
The EU achieved a weighted average recycling rate of 67.5% in 2023 – just below the 70% target for 2030. Seven countries already meet or exceed the 70% target:
Other countries, including Germany, France, Sweden and Estonia, are approaching the target, achieving between 68.5% and 69.5%.
At the lower end:
The challenge in plastic recycling becomes particularly apparent:
This spread highlights the substantial differences in infrastructure, sorting performance, and market mechanisms across Europe.
In 2023, each person in the EU consumed an average of 65 lightweight plastic carrier bags – 30 fewer than in 2018. Nine countries are already below the target of fewer than 40 bags by 2025, including:
The largest reductions since 2018 were recorded in:
The data presents a mixed picture:
Some countries operate at a level well above EU minimum requirements. Others lag far behind, particularly where:
While paper, glass and metals operate in relatively stable cycles, plastics depend heavily on:
A key insight from the Eurostat figures is the rising importance of:
Digital platform approaches such as those offered by plastship help harmonise data and strengthen networking across the value chain. They support greater transparency of material flows and provide structured information on quality, processing and recycling potential.
From plastship’s perspective, the Eurostat data highlights the growing importance of material transparency and well-functioning market structures:
- The significant differences between countries underscore how essential reliable quality data and traceable material assessments are for stable circular systems.
- Demand for digital interfaces for recyclates is increasing, as companies need to match qualities, availability and specific requirements with greater precision.
- Progress in plastic recycling depends largely on how well markets function and whether high-quality recyclates are available on a continuous basis.
plastship sees itself as a supportive component within this ecosystem: focused on creating transparency and assisting companies in accessing suitable recyclates and relevant material information – without taking a political or normative position.
If you have questions or suggestions, please contact me!
