Recent social media claims suggest that the European Union is preparing to ban the sale of traditional shrink-wrapped bottled water multipacks starting this summer.
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Among those promoting this claim is MEP Virginie Joron of the French National Rally and Patriots for Europe group, who asserted that new EU mandates would force consumers to carry individual bottles.
These assertions refer to the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). However, the claims are misleading. The PPWR is part of a comprehensive strategy to minimize packaging waste and enhance recyclability across the member states. While certain provisions of the regulation are scheduled to take effect on August 12, 2026, they do not impose a blanket ban on bottled water multipack rings or plastic wrappings.
Following a fact-check by French broadcaster TF1, Joron issued a press release on X criticizing the “regulatory uncertainty” facing the mineral water industry. She further clarified that her initial post used the phrase “in the long term” to describe the regulation’s general goals, rather than suggesting a ban was imminent on August 12.
Combating Packaging Waste
The measures coming into force on August 12 primarily focus on limiting the use of PFAS—known as “forever chemicals”—in packaging materials that come into contact with food. These chemicals are under intense scrutiny due to their persistence in the environment and resistance to degradation.
The broader objective of the regulation is to eliminate unnecessary packaging and ensure that all packaging on the European market is either recyclable or reusable by 2030. This effort aims to curb a growing waste crisis; Eurostat data indicates that the EU produced 79.7 million tonnes of packaging waste in 2023, averaging 35.3kg of plastic packaging waste per person.
The Status of Bottled Water Multipacks
Confusion regarding the ban likely stems from provisions targeting “grouped plastic packaging.” The regulation does restrict certain types of plastic shrink wrap used to bundle products.
However, these restrictions apply specifically to plastic grouped packaging; alternatives made from other materials remain permitted. More importantly, the regulation provides exemptions for grouped packaging that is essential for the safe handling or transport of goods.
Bottled water multipacks are expected to fall under this exemption because they are necessary for transporting heavy loads safely. While the European Commission has not yet released definitive guidance on the practical application of these rules, the restrictions are primarily intended to target unnecessary single-use plastics—such as the wrap around soda can multipacks—that are designed solely to encourage bulk purchasing.
The European Commission is slated to publish detailed implementation guidance by February 2027, which will clarify the specific packaging formats covered by the restrictions and the exact nature of the exemptions.
