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Packaging rule · European Union · Design rule

SUP Directive: tethered caps on plastic beverage containers

Design rule rule covering single-use plastic in the European Union, set by European Parliament and Council of the EU. Applies since 3 July 2024.

By the SPI teamRule ID PR-EU-015Source consulted 13 October 2026Verified 13 October 2026
Sourced facts

The rule

Recorded from the official source named below. Rates and dates are as the source states them on the date it was consulted.

Jurisdiction
European Union
Authority
European Parliament and Council of the EU
Rule type
Design rule
Materials
Single-use plastic
Status
In force Enacted
Adopted or published
5 June 2019
Applies from
3 July 2024
From the source

“may be placed on the market only if the caps and lids remain attached to the containers”

Official source EUR-Lex: Directive (EU) 2019/904Official (government or regulator) · consulted 13 October 2026

Deadlines

Key dates

  1. Adopted or published 7 years ago

  2. Applies from 2 years and 3 months ago

  3. Source consulted by the SPI team 2 days ago

  4. Re-checked by a second SPI team member 2 days ago

SPI analysis

What it means

SPI analysis Our reading of the official source above. Not legal advice; always rely on the official text.

SPI summary

Since 3 July 2024, single-use beverage containers up to three litres with plastic caps or lids may only be placed on the market if the caps and lids remain attached during intended use.

In practice

Since 3 July 2024, single-use plastic beverage containers of up to three litres with plastic caps or lids may only be placed on the market if the caps and lids stay attached during intended use (Directive (EU) 2019/904, Article 6(1)). This affects closure and bottle manufacturers, carton makers and beverage brand owners, since composite beverage packaging is covered as well as bottles. Article 6(3) required harmonised standards to address the strength, reliability and safety of closures, including for carbonated drinks.

Where the record is unclear

  • The reference number of the harmonised standard was not confirmed on the pages consulted.
  • National enforcement practice in each Member State was not checked.
  • Whether the PPWR changes this requirement was not confirmed against the operative PPWR text.

Where it sits in the tracker

  • One of 18 packaging rules we track in the European Union, of which 4 are design rule rules.
  • In all, 6 design rule rules are tracked across 2 jurisdictions. Compare them below

Company profiles that map to this rule

Companies whose SPI profile lists this rule in its regulatory exposure, based on where they report selling. Not company-reported.

SPI analysis

Overview

Article 6(1) of Directive (EU) 2019/904 is a product design requirement rather than a ban. The beverage containers listed in Part C of the Annex that have plastic caps or lids may be placed on the market only if the caps and lids remain attached to the container during its intended use stage, and Article 17 set the application date at 3 July 20241. Part C covers containers of up to three litres, including bottles and composite beverage packaging with their caps and lids, and excludes glass or metal containers with plastic caps and lids and containers for liquid food for special medical purposes1.

Recital 17 states the aim: design requirements that keep caps and lids attached should cut the littering of these small parts, with a harmonised standard giving a presumption of conformity1. Article 6(3) asked the Commission to request that standard, and Article 6(4) makes conformity with it a presumption of compliance1.

That route is now complete. The Commission issued its standardisation request to CEN as Implementing Decision C(2020) 7244 of 27 October 2020, and Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/1060 published the reference of EN 17665:2022+A1:2023, Packaging, Test methods and requirements to demonstrate that plastic caps and lids remain attached to beverage containers, in OJ L 142 of 1 June 20232.

Duties

Who must do what

Fillers and brand owners placing drinks on the market

  • Since 3 July 2024, place Part C beverage containers with plastic caps or lids on the market only if the caps and lids stay attached during intended use (Article 6(1))1.
  • Apply the rule to composite beverage cartons as well as bottles, since Part C includes composite beverage packaging13.

Closure and container manufacturers

  • Design closures to EN 17665:2022+A1:2023 to benefit from the presumption of conformity in Article 6(4)2.
  • Cover every closure type the guidelines treat as caps or lids, including screw caps on bottles and cartons, sports caps, flip-top caps and two-step caps with a separate membrane (guidelines Table 4-6)3.

Member States

  • Apply the Article 6(1) requirement from 3 July 2024 through national law (Article 17(1))1.
  • Provide penalties under Article 14 for placing non-conforming containers on the market1.

European Commission

  • Request harmonised standards on caps and lids, including for the strength, reliability and safety of closures for carbonated drinks (Article 6(3)); done with Decision C(2020) 724412.
  • Publish the standard's reference in the Official Journal, done by Decision (EU) 2023/10602.
Scope

Are you in scope?

Work through each question. The answers are the SPI team's reading of the sources cited.

  1. Does the beverage container hold up to three litres?

    If yes
    It can fall under Part C.
    If no
    Containers above three litres are outside the requirement.

  2. Is the container itself glass or metal?

    If yes
    It is excluded from Part C even when the cap is plastic.
    If no
    Plastic bottles and composite cartons are in scope.

  3. Is the closure a metal cap or lid with a plastic seal?

    If yes
    Article 6(2) says it is not considered plastic, so the tethering requirement does not apply to it.
    If no
    A plastic cap or lid must stay attached.

  4. Is the drink a liquid food for special medical purposes?

    If yes
    Part C excludes its containers.
    If no
    The general rule applies.

  5. Is the item a cup with a cover rather than a bottle or carton?

    If yes
    The guidelines treat cups as a separate category from beverage containers, so Part C tethering does not apply to cup covers.
    If no
    Check the container against Part C.

  6. Is the only plastic part a foil seal or sealing membrane under the cap?

    If yes
    The guidelines treat a foil seal as part of the container and say a sealing membrane is not a cap or lid.
    If no
    Any plastic cap or lid above it must stay attached.
Checklist

Compliance checklist

  1. Audit every closure in the EU range

    By Now

    SPI analysis of the official text. Not legal advice; confirm with the text or counsel. The requirement has applied since 3 July 2024, so list each plastic cap or lid on bottles and cartons up to three litres and confirm it stays attached.

    Evidence to keep Closure register by SKU, container material, volume and tether design.

  2. Test against EN 17665:2022+A1:2023

    By Now

    Conformity with the harmonised standard gives the presumption of compliance under Article 6(4); keep the test report for each closure and neck finish.

    Evidence to keep Test reports to EN 17665:2022+A1:2023 from the closure supplier or a test house.

  3. Check carbonated drink closures

    By Now

    Article 6(3) required the standard to address strength, reliability and safety for carbonated drinks, so confirm the tethered design passes for pressurised products specifically.

    Evidence to keep Pressure and opening test records for carbonated SKUs.

  4. Record cap weight and recycled content

    By Now

    Under Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1425 the cap counts in the bottle's plastic weight for the recycled content calculation, so a heavier tethered cap changes the share.

    Evidence to keep Part weights and recycled percentage per part from supplier declarations.

  5. Check national transposing laws

    By Now

    Penalties and enforcement bodies differ by Member State; note any national guidance on what intended use stage means.

    Evidence to keep Country list of transposing provisions and penalty articles.

Enforcement

Enforcement and penalties

Who enforces
Authorities designated in national transposing laws in each Member State.
Powers
National authorities check containers on the market; a closure built to EN 17665:2022+A1:2023 is presumed to comply, so the test report is the first document an inspector can ask for.
Enforcement so far
No enforcement case on tethered caps appears in the EU sources read for this rule.

Penalties

BreachPenaltyLegal basis
Placing on the market a Part C container whose plastic cap or lid does not remain attachedNo EU amount; each Member State fixes its own sanctions under Article 14Directive (EU) 2019/904, Article 14, read with Article 6(1)1

The tethered cap requirement is enforced through national law, so the size of a fine depends on where a non-conforming bottle or carton is sold. The harmonised standard reduces disputes because conformity creates a legal presumption under Article 6(4).

Connections

How it fits with other rules

Timeline

History of the rule

  1. Commission proposal COM(2018) 340 includes cap and lid design requirements.

  2. Directive (EU) 2019/904 signed; published in OJ L 155 on 12 June 2019.

  3. Deadline for the Commission to request harmonised standards on caps and lids (Article 6(3)).

  4. Standardisation request to CEN adopted as Implementing Decision C(2020) 7244.

  5. Guidelines define caps, lids and covers and confirm cartons are in scope.

  6. Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/1060 publishes EN 17665:2022+A1:2023 in OJ L 142.

  7. Article 6(1) applies.

  8. Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1425 enters into force, counting caps in recycled content data.

  9. Today

  10. Commission evaluation of the Directive due.

Questions

Questions

Do glass bottles with plastic caps need tethered caps?

No. Part C of Directive (EU) 2019/904 excludes glass or metal beverage containers whose caps and lids are plastic. The requirement that has applied since 3 July 2024 covers plastic bottles and composite cartons up to three litres.

Do drink cartons need tethered caps?

Yes. Part C includes composite beverage packaging, and the Commission's 2021 guidelines list plastic caps for cartons as in scope. Cartons up to three litres sold since 3 July 2024 need attached caps.

Which standard shows a cap is compliant?

EN 17665:2022+A1:2023, whose reference was published by Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/1060 on 1 June 2023. Closures that conform to it are presumed to meet Article 6(1).

Are metal crown caps with a plastic liner covered?

No. Article 6(2) says metal caps or lids with plastic seals are not considered to be made of plastic. The guidelines of 7 June 2021 add that such closures stay subject to the rest of the Directive, just not to Article 6.

Does the rule apply to five-litre water bottles?

No. Part C is limited to beverage containers with a capacity of up to 3 litres, so a 5 litre bottle is outside the tethering requirement that applies since 3 July 2024.

Glossary

Definitions

caps, lids and covers
Caps close bottles and containers; lids are peeled or torn off and cannot be replaced; covers are placed on cups and can be refitted (guidelines section 4.4.2).3
Part C beverage container
For Article 6(1), a beverage container of up to three litres, bottles and composite beverage packaging included, together with its caps and lids; glass or metal containers with plastic caps or lids, and containers for special medical liquid food, are left out (Annex Part C).1
Sources

Sources for this analysis

  1. EUR-Lex: Directive (EU) 2019/904, OJ L 155, 12.6.2019 (Articles 6, 14 and 17; Annex Part C; recital 17) Official · Consulted 14 October 2026
  2. EUR-Lex: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/1060 on a harmonised standard for plastic caps and lids remaining attached to beverage containers, OJ L 142, 1.6.2023 Official · Consulted 14 October 2026
  3. EUR-Lex: Commission Guidelines on single-use plastic products, OJ C 216, 7.6.2021 (sections 4.4 and 4.5) Official · Consulted 14 October 2026
  4. EUR-Lex: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1425 on recycled plastic content in single-use plastic beverage bottles Official · Consulted 14 October 2026
  5. European Parliament Legislative Observatory: procedure file 2018/0172(COD) Official · Consulted 14 October 2026

Written by the SPI team on 14 October 2026. Sources checked as of 14 October 2026. SPI analysis, not legal advice; always rely on the official text.

Audit trail

Change history

Verified: a second SPI team member re-checked every fact above against the source on 13 October 2026. Any later change to the facts sends the rule back to Sourced and is logged here.

  1. Verified by a second SPI team member

  2. Added to the tracker

Spotted an error? Write to sales@strategicpackaginginsights.com quoting PR-EU-015 and the source. Corrections are logged in this history.

Other jurisdictions

Design rule rules elsewhere

The same type of rule for the same materials in other jurisdictions, by the date it applies.

RuleWhereTypeMaterialsStatusApplies from
Administrative Measures for Postal and Express PackagingPR-CN-002ChinaDesign ruleAll packagingIn force12 March 2021
GB 23350-2021 restriction of excessive packaging (food and cosmetics)PR-CN-003ChinaDesign ruleAll packagingIn force1 September 2023

Every design rule rule in the tracker

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