Taiwan Issues Guidelines on Circular and Sustainable Retail Product Packaging

On January 6, 2026, the Resource Circulation Administration of Taiwan's Ministry of Environment issued the Guidelines for Circular and Sustainable Retail Product Packaging (the Guidelines). The Guidelines aims to guide the supply chain in voluntarily reducing packaging waste and adopting circular design principles. Although non-binding, it is intended to encourage best practices, and may support the development of future regulatory requirements.¹

Key Provisions of the Guidelines

Scope of Application

The Guidelines is intended for stakeholders across the retail product supply chain, including manufacturers, importers, retailers, and packaging companies. It applies specifically to five product categories—food, beverages, cosmetics, detergents, and general groceries. Within this scope, all forms of packaging used for these products are addressed, from primary and secondary packaging to tertiary packaging used for transport and distribution.

Core Principles and Reduction Targets

The Guidelines is structured around three core principles to guide the industry's transition toward more sustainable packaging practices:

Promoting Green Design: encouraging the adoption of packaging solutions that are inherently environmentally friendly;
Reducing at source: implementing measures to minimize waste generation and prevent over-packaging;
Enhancing Resource Circulation: promoting the use of materials that are easily recycled and reused, thereby supporting a circular economy.

Building on these principles, the Guidelines sets measurable reduction targets consistent with international policy frameworks and Taiwan's waste-reduction milestones. Plastic packaging waste is measured against a 2025 baseline, with a 5% reduction target by 2030 and 10% by 2035. Overall packaging waste is calculated from a 2030 baseline, with a target of 5% reduction by 2035.

Recommended Actions for the Supply Chain

In support of the goals outlined above, the Guidelines provides role-specific measures for various stakeholders throughout the supply chain, as summarized below.

Industry	Recommended Actions
Manufacturers, and importers (handling post-import packaging)	1) Minimize packaging: remove non-essential components, and adopt lightweight designs; 2) Prioritize eco-friendly materials: use recyclable and recycled materials, while avoiding Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and composite materials; 3) Enhance reuse: design packaging for circular use, and maximize the use of recycled materials.
Importers (handling pre-packaged imports)	1) Select eco-friendly products: choose products that use recyclable, renewable, or reusable materials, and avoid multi-layer composite packaging; 2) Reduce repackaging: only repackage when required by regulations, logistics, or information disclosure needs, following minimal packaging principles.
Retailers	1) Collaborate on packaging optimization: partner with suppliers to simplify designs and prioritize recycled materials; 2) Encourage loose produce sales: provide unpackaged fruits and vegetables to minimize packaging waste; 3) Apply circular logistics practices: utilize reusable boxes and packaging for transportation and online orders; 4) Provide collection and recycling facilities: gather customers' reusable and paper bags, and recycle plastic, paper, glass, and metal packaging; 5) Give feedback to suppliers on waste reduction: inform suppliers of potential improvements to reduce waste; 6) Exclude biodegradable materials from recycling streams: ensure recycling processes remain efficient.
Packaging companies	1) Optimize packaging design: minimize decorative elements and excessive processing, and adopt single-material packaging; 2) Produce with recycled materials: utilize recycled plastics or paper pulp in packaging production to minimize resource use.

Packaging Design Optimization by Category

To guide stakeholders in implementing sustainable packaging practices, the Guidelines presents tailored optimization suggestions for each of the five targeted product categories, as shown in the table.

Product Category	Optimization Measures
Food	Encourage sales of unpackaged fruits and vegetables Reduce non-essential plastic wrapping and padding Seek alternative packaging options
Beverages	Limit the use of shrink wrap Adopt reusable and lightweight bottle designs
Cosmetics	Avoid non-essential plastic outer packaging Simplify printing and labeling to facilitate recycling Use recycled materials and lightweight designs in product packaging and containers
Detergents	Avoid non-essential plastic outer packaging Adopt single-material designs for bottles and spray nozzles Use recycled materials and lightweight designs in product packaging and containers
General groceries	Avoid non-essential plastic outer packaging Seek alternative packaging options