Finland’s Beverage Industry Faces Challenges with EU Packaging Waste Regulation

The Finnish beverage industry is hopeful for a different outcome in the upcoming vote on the EU’s packaging waste regulation. The new regulation poses challenges for Finland’s bottle deposit system, which requires that ten percent of drinks should be sold in reusable packaging by 2030. While this primarily affects the brewing industry, certain beverages were granted exceptions in negotiations.

The food industry believes that this regulation will lead to significant costs and the need for two parallel bottle return systems. MEP Elsi Katainen from the Center party is undecided about the need for a new system alongside Finland’s innovative bottle return system. She questions whether it is necessary to create a parallel bottle return system when drink packages on deposit are already recycled as raw material in Finland.

MEP Mauri Pekkarinen from the Center party plans to vote against the regulation, expressing concerns about punishing progressive operators. Social Democrat Miapetra Kumpula-Natri views this situation as a result of lobbying that came too late, stating that it aims to reduce packaging waste, establish reuse targets, and limit single-use packaging. Negotiators from the Parliament and Council reached an agreement in March.

Despite some uncertainties, the regulation is seen as a step towards more sustainable packaging by several MEPs who worked hard to address concerns about cardboard packaging in negotiations. However, with differing opinions on its impacts on Finland’s bottle deposit system, MEPs must carefully consider their votes on the packaging waste regulation.