Portugal's regulation mandating recycling labels on packaging was established through Decree-Law No. 24/2024, published in 2024. This decree amends the earlier Decree-Law No. 152-D/2017, introducing new requirements for packaging and packaging waste, including the implementation of mandatory recycling labelling. The labelling obligation became effective on January 1, 2025, requiring all packaging placed on the Portuguese market from that date onward to bear clear and legible recycling symbols indicating the appropriate disposal container.
The primary goal of this regulation is to enhance waste separation and recycling rates by providing consumers with straightforward guidance on how to dispose of packaging materials properly. The labels correspond to specific recycling containers, and the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) and the Directorate-General for Economic Activities (DGAE) are responsible for publishing detailed guidelines on the labelling requirements.
It's important to note that packaging introduced to the Portuguese market before December 31, 2024, is exempt from this labelling requirement, even if sold after the regulation's effective date .
This initiative aligns with Portugal's broader efforts to promote environmental sustainability and comply with European Union directives on packaging waste management.
Spain's regulation mandating recycling labels on packaging was established through Royal Decree 1055/2022, published on December 27, 2022. This decree introduced new requirements for packaging and packaging waste, including the implementation of mandatory recycling labelling. The labelling obligation became effective on January 1, 2025, requiring all household packaging placed on the Spanish market from that date onward to bear clear and legible recycling symbols indicating the appropriate disposal container .
The primary goal of this regulation is to enhance waste separation and recycling rates by providing consumers with straightforward guidance on how to dispose of packaging materials properly. The labels correspond to specific recycling containers:
Yellow bin: Plastic, metal, and composite packaging
Blue bin: Paper and cardboard packaging
Green bin: Glass packaging
Brown bin: Compostable packaging
It's important to note that packaging introduced to the Spanish market before December 31, 2024, is exempt from this labeling requirement, even if sold after the regulation's effective date.
This initiative aligns with Spain's broader efforts to promote environmental sustainability and comply with European Union directives on packaging waste management.
The legislative Decree No.116 of 3 September 2020 is a law that was passed in Italy in September 2020. The law includes several provisions that are intended to promote the transition to a circular economy in the country.
First, manufacturers of packaging must mark the material of the packaging as an alphanumeric code according to 97/129/EC. Secondly, packaging for end consumers must show clear instructions on how to dispose of a package - in Italian.
According to the recommendation of the Italian Consortium for Packaging Materials (CONAI), a packaging label should contain the following information:
This is law on all products sold in Italy from 1st January 2023.
You can ensure your product meets Italian regulations by completing the questions below.
In Italy, the legislation states that the recycling logos can either be printed on the product packaging (or product directly) or displayed digitally behind our iQRcode.
The minimum font size to be displayed is 1.2mm
In the case of incorrect or missing labelling, fines of €5,200 – €40,000 can be imposed.
PLEASE NOTE
As a producer you may also be required to register and pay EPR fees based on the amount of product placed in that market. Buyerdock do not provide this service as it needs to be carried out by the company placing the product on the market. For example, in France, if you have packaging, you need to register with Citeo, Leko or Adelphe and update the units shipped to France, if you have batteries in that product, you need to register also with Corepile or Screlec.
Buyerdock only provide the recycle logos - not the declarations of waste to governments.
Disclaimer: This information provides an overview for educational purposes only and is not legal advice. It is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, a lawyer-client relationship. The authors, Buyerdock Limited disclaim all responsibility for any and all losses, damages, or causes of action that may arise or be connected with the use of or reliance on these materials. Please consult a licensed attorney in your area for legal assistance.
If you have a number of products that are in essence the same, such as a nail varnish with 50 colours, the quickest way to add the products and update the regulations, such as recycle logos is as follows (TL;DR - simply add one product and duplicate it):-
Step 1
Go to the product you have added in your product collection. Click on the three dots on the right of the product listing, you should see the following options. Click Duplicate
Step 2
You'll see a pop-up, click ok.
Step 3
You'll see a warning, this is normal, in order to save you from actually having multiple GTIN numbers that are the same, we add the word 'DUPLICATE' after GTIN number and (duplicate) after the SKU - and title of the product.
Step 4
Simply visit each product, edit the title, add the correct SKU, and replace the GTIN for the correct one. When you click save, the errors will disappear and the recycling logos will be attached to the new product.
The legislative Decree No.116 of 3 September 2020 is a law that was passed in Italy in September 2020. The law includes several provisions that are intended to promote the transition to a circular economy in the country.
First, manufacturers of packaging must mark the material of the packaging as an alphanumeric code according to 97/129/EC. Secondly, packaging for end consumers must show clear instructions on how to dispose of a package - in Italian.
According to the recommendation of the Italian Consortium for Packaging Materials (CONAI), a packaging label should contain the following information:
This is law on all products sold in Italy from 1st January 2023.
You can ensure your product meets Italian regulations by completing the questions on the recycling tab on the Edit product page.
In Italy, the legislation states the the recycling logos can either be printed on the product packaging (or product directly) or displayed digitally behind our iQRcode.
The minimum font size to be displayed is 1.2mm
In the case of incorrect or missing labelling, fines of €5,200 – €40,000 can be imposed.
PLEASE NOTE
As a producer you may also be required to register and pay EPR fees based on the amount of product placed in that market. Buyerdock do not provide this service as it needs to be carried out by the company placing the product on the market. For example, in France, if you have packaging, you need to register with Citeo, Leko or Adelphe and update the units shipped to France, if you have batteries in that product, you need to register also with Corepile or Screlec.
Buyerdock only provide the recycle logos - not the declarations of waste to governments.
Disclaimer: This information provides an overview for educational purposes only and is not legal advice. It is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, a lawyer-client relationship. The authors, Buyerdock Limited disclaim all responsibility for any and all losses, damages, or causes of action that may arise or be connected with the use of or reliance on these materials. Please consult a licensed attorney in your area for legal assistance.
Article 17 of the AGEC Law states that all household products, must bear the Triman logo and sorting instructions for each packaging element. This is law in France from 9th October 2022.
This move was part of a broader effort to increase recycling rates in the country and reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.
The Decree No. 2014/1577 itself does not state any penalties for not using the Triman logo. However, according to the applicable environment law in France (Art. L171-8 & L173-1), a warning can be issued by the responsible authorities. Thereafter, continuous non-compliance can result in financial penalties of up to €100,000 or up to 2 years in prison.
You can ensure your product meets French regulations by completing the questions on the recycling tab on the Edit product page.
Please note: Your products only meet regulations once the 2D-QR code is applied to product and if an associated logo is required, printed on the packaging too.
You can find out if your product needs any additional logo's by completing the Triman logo display requirements in France element under Recycling.
