Ashbury BrandThe PFAS ban explained: getting your food packaging compliant before August 2026
From 12 August 2026, food packaging containing PFAS “forever chemicals” above strict new limits can no longer be placed on the EU market. Here's what that means for Irish takeaways, chippers, cafés, bakeries and delis — and how to be ready without any last-minute scramble.
What are PFAS, and why are they in food packaging?
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a family of thousands of synthetic chemicals prized for repelling grease and water. That's exactly why they've been used in food packaging for decades: they're what kept the grease from soaking through many coated papers, burger wraps, chip cartons and bakery bags.
The problem is that PFAS barely break down — earning the nickname forever chemicals — and they accumulate in water, soil and people. Growing evidence links some PFAS to health risks, which is why regulators worldwide are now removing them from anything that touches food.
What the new law says
The EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2025/40, “PPWR”) restricts PFAS in food-contact packaging. From 12 August 2026, food-contact packaging may not be placed on the market if PFAS exceed any of these thresholds:
- 25 parts per billion for any single targeted PFAS
- 250 parts per billion for the sum of targeted PFAS
- 50 parts per million for total PFAS (including polymeric)
In practice, these limits are so low that grease-resistant packaging made with intentionally added PFAS will not comply. The restriction applies across the entire EU — there is no Irish opt-out, grace period or grandfathering for new stock placed on the market after the date.
Who's affected?
Any food business whose packaging touches food directly, especially where grease resistance matters:
- Chip shops and fast-food takeaways (greaseproof bags, chip wraps, burger bags)
- Cafés and coffee shops (pastry and sandwich bags)
- Bakeries (counter bags, lined bags)
- Delis and hot-food counters (lined and foil-lined bags)
- Retailers packing unwrapped food of any kind
The legal duty to comply sits with whoever places the packaging on the market — but in practice, an inspection at your counter is your problem on the day. Knowing your packaging is clean protects your business.
What to do before the deadline
- List every item of packaging that touches food — bags, wraps, sheets, cartons, boxes.
- Ask each supplier to confirm in writing that the product complies with the PPWR PFAS limits from 12 August 2026. A vague “eco-friendly” label is not confirmation.
- Be wary of grease-resistant imports at suspiciously low prices — fluorochemical treatment has historically been the cheap way to achieve grease resistance.
- Switch early rather than exactly on the deadline — compliant capacity across Europe will tighten as August approaches, and lead times with it.
Where Ashbury Brand stands
Every bag we make is already 100% PFAS-free. Our greaseproof and lined papers achieve their grease resistance mechanically, through the way the paper itself is refined and treated — no fluorochemical coatings, nothing to phase out and nothing to re-source. That has always been true of our range; the new law simply makes it a legal requirement for everyone else.
Because we manufacture in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary — on our own machines, from FSC® and PEFC certified paper — we can also tell you exactly what's in every bag, in writing, whenever you need it for your own records.
Frequently asked questions
Are plain paper bags affected by the PFAS ban?
Plain, uncoated kraft paper bags generally contain no intentionally added PFAS. The risk sits with grease-resistant and coated papers, where PFAS were historically the cheap route to grease-proofing. Either way, ask your supplier for written confirmation — compliance is about what's actually in the paper, not what category it falls into.
Can I use up old stock after 12 August 2026?
The restriction applies to packaging placed on the market from that date. Stock legitimately purchased beforehand is in a grey area in practice — and serving food in PFAS packaging after the deadline is a bad look even where technically permitted. Our advice: run stocks down now and make your last pre-deadline orders PFAS-free ones.
Are Ashbury Brand bags PFAS-free?
Yes — 100% of our range, including greaseproof, lined and foil-lined food bags. Grease resistance in our papers is achieved mechanically, without fluorochemical treatment, and we'll confirm it in writing for your records on request.
Do I need a certificate to prove compliance?
There's no single mandatory certificate for food businesses, but you should hold written supplier confirmation that your food-contact packaging meets the PPWR PFAS limits. We provide this to our customers on request — one email and it's in your compliance folder.