On 24 June 2026, the Federal Council adopted the new Swiss Packaging Ordinance. It establishes a new framework for the circular economy and, for the first time, sets binding recycling targets for packaging. This provides a clear political and regulatory basis for packaging recycling in Switzerland.
At the heart of the Ordinance are the binding recycling targets, which must be achieved by 2032. The targets are a recycling rate of 70 per cent for beverage cartons and 55 per cent for single-use plastic packaging. If these targets are not met, the Federal Council may decide to introduce additional measures. These include, in particular, the introduction of an upfront recycling levy or a deposit-return scheme.
For the plastics recycling industry, this is a landmark development. The stipulated recycling rate of 55 per cent underlines the importance of efficient collection, sorting and recycling structures and creates a strong incentive to consistently keep plastic packaging in the circular economy.
At the same time, the regulation sends a clear signal to manufacturers, retailers and consumers: in future, packaging must be designed to be even more suitable for the circular economy, collected correctly and recycled to a high standard. Only through the cooperation of all stakeholders can these ambitious targets be achieved and valuable raw materials kept within the economic cycle in the long term.
The Ordinance also stipulates that, from 2031, a subsidiary take-back obligation will be introduced for single-use plastic packaging and beverage cartons. Manufacturers themselves (or via industry organisations such as RecyPac) must take back this packaging and ensure it is sent for material recycling.
The new recycling targets create transparency, promote investment in modern recycling solutions and strengthen the circular economy in Switzerland in a sustainable manner. The task now is to create the conditions necessary to ensure that these ambitious targets can be achieved collectively by 2032.