REGULATORY · MARKET STRUCTURE · CHINA
China mandates recyclable packaging under updated solid-waste framework
Change
China’s State Council issued a January 2026 national action plan updating its solid-waste framework to mandate recyclable packaging measures, tighten packaging design/labeling standards, and strengthen producer responsibility and enforcement through 2030.
Why it matters
The updated solid-waste management framework introduces mandatory measures to reduce excessive packaging and prioritize recyclable materials, with strengthened producer responsibility. Authorities are set to tighten enforcement of packaging standards covering material use, labeling, and compatibility with municipal waste-sorting systems, shifting compliance from voluntary sustainability targets to enforceable requirements. Retail, e-commerce, and food delivery are singled out for closer supervision due to packaging volumes, increasing the likelihood of inspections and penalties for nonconforming packaging. The framework also expands monitoring of packaging production and disposal, and calls for improved traceability across supply chains, including use of digital tracking tools. Requirements to increase recyclable and recycled content can change packaging specifications and supplier qualification constraints through 2030.
Implications
- • Packaging material/design choices face tighter constraints tied to local sorting rules
- • Higher compliance and reporting burden via monitoring and digital traceability tools
- • Greater enforcement exposure for retail, e-commerce, and food delivery packaging
- • Producer responsibility obligations expand across packaging supply chains
Who is affected
- • Retailers and marketplace operators selling packaged goods in China
- • E-commerce and food delivery platforms and their merchant networks
- • Packaging manufacturers and converters supplying China market
- • Brand owners/producers responsible for packaging compliance and reporting
Source
Topics
Law & Public Safety Compliance Climate & Environment Sustainability Environmental Regulation