Is a promotional or exhibition box considered packaging under PPWR?
This depends on the intended purpose and function of the item, not simply on whether it physically resembles a box or packaging.
If the box is used to contain, protect, handle, or deliver a product, it is considered packaging. For example, a presentation box containing a product sample shown to clients fulfills a packaging function and is therefore subject to PPWR requirements.
By contrast, consider props or decorations made specifically for exhibitions, displays, or advertising. For example, a company might order an oversized replica of its product packaging solely for use as a display element at a trade show booth. If no products are packaged inside and it does not serve as product packaging, such an item is not considered packaging merely because of its box-like shape.
Therefore, promotional or exhibition structures that fall outside the PPWR definition of packaging do not require a PPWR Declaration of Conformity.
If an item serves both a promotional and a packaging function at the same time, its status is evaluated based on the specific use case.