EU's new plastic packaging rules add pressure on Korean cosmetics exporters

As the European Union's new packaging regulation takes full effect, Korean cosmetics companies targeting the European market face a growing compliance burden. Cosmetics containers are a critical element that protects product contents and shapes brand image — and now, companies exporting to the EU must also demonstrate eco-friendliness, checking for hazardous substances and recyclability. Industry observers warn the rules could become a new export barrier for small and independent cosmetics brands that lack the staff and resources to manage regulatory compliance.

The EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, known as PPWR, began applying Wednesday, according to the cosmetics industry. The regulation, announced in February last year, is designed to improve the sustainability of all packaging materials distributed within the EU. Requirements covering hazardous substances in packaging, recyclable design, the use of recycled materials and packaging minimization will be phased in according to grace periods set for each provision. Rules on recyclable design and minimum recycled-material content are scheduled to take effect sequentially from 2028.

A key compliance task for cosmetics companies is demonstrating that their packaging meets the applicable requirements. According to the Korea Cosmetic Association, packaging placed on the EU market must undergo a conformity assessment, and companies must prepare and retain a technical document and a declaration of conformity. Packaging must also keep the combined concentration of lead, cadmium, mercury and other heavy metals at or below 100 milligrams per kilogram. Beyond the container itself, caps, pumps, sealing materials, labels and outer cartons may also be classified as packaging components depending on the circumstances.

The challenge for the cosmetics industry is that containers must now be attractive and functional while also meeting eco-friendly standards. Cosmax is expanding its packaging technology to convert composite containers — those mixing acrylic or metal components — into single-material plastics such as polypropylene and PET. A notable example is its metal-free pump, which replaces the steel spring traditionally used in pump dispensers with a plastic alternative. The company is also working with domestic materials firms to develop containers using mechanically and chemically recycled plastics — MR-PET and CR-PET — and is conducting research into biodegradable and bio-based plastic materials.

Using recycled materials also drives up production costs. Post-consumer recycled materials such as PCR plastics carry a higher unit price than conventional plastics, according to Cosmax. Recycled plastic can develop black specks or slight color variations during processing, making it harder to achieve the precise colors and finishes that cosmetics brands require. Development timelines and costs can increase compared with conventional packaging.

Kolmar Korea is also responding to the PPWR through its packaging subsidiary Yeonwoo, redesigning container structures from the ground up. Yeonwoo has developed metal-free pumps that eliminate metal springs and pumps built primarily from polypropylene and other plastic-based materials, reducing the number of components and material types. The company is also developing refillable airless containers. In March, it unveiled the Clean Stick, a lip-product container made entirely from 100 percent polypropylene, and has also commercialized the Eco Ampoule refill system and a foaming pump that uses no metal spring.

Last month, about 200 people from roughly 100 domestic and international cosmetics brands, ODM and OEM manufacturers, and packaging and raw-material suppliers gathered at Kolmar Korea's central research institute for the Yeonwoo Packaging Summit. Yeonwoo used the event to share not only the risks posed by the PPWR and strategies for addressing them, but also practical quality standards and guidelines for packaging destined for the EU market.

Cosmecca Korea, the third-largest player in the cosmetics ODM sector, is also broadening its global regulatory compliance scope. The company operates an OGM service that reviews the legal regulations of each country where products are sold and supports clients from product development through to shipment. It has recently added PPWR-related export document management to the formal responsibilities of its global customer support staff, alongside test reports, ingredient information and other regulatory materials. In 2025, the company developed 155 sustainable packaging items, bringing its cumulative total to 433.

"The core of PPWR compliance is having eco-friendly supporting data for every individual component that makes up the packaging," a cosmetics industry official said. "Ingredient suppliers, component manufacturers, producers and brand companies all need to work together to build a mid- to long-term compliance strategy covering everything from product lineups to material supply chains."