Environmental Labelling for Packaging in France
France is the strictest environmental labelling regime in the EU, and the one most likely to block a listing. Packaging placed on the French market must carry the Triman logo together with Info-Tri sorting instructions covering every component. We tell you exactly what yours needs.
What France requires on your packaging
Legal basis: Article L541-9-3 of the Code de l’environnement, with implementing Decree n° 2021-835. France requires a mandatory sorting mark on the pack, not just producer registration. That makes it the market where a compliance gap is visible to your retailer, your marketplace and your customer at the same time.
The Triman logo
The mandatory sorting symbol, applied to the packaging or product subject to the sorting instruction rules.
Info-Tri instructions
A per-component breakdown telling the consumer how each part of the pack is disposed of — carton, bottle, pump, label.
EPR registration
Registration with an approved eco-organisme and a unique identifier issued by ADEME.
French language
The sorting information must be intelligible to the French consumer.
What the France guide contains
- A component-by-component breakdown: outer carton, primary container, closure or pump, label, leaflet.
- The exact marking required on each component, and the conditions attached to using it.
- The precise wording of any sorting or disposal statement, in French.
- Placement and legibility requirements where the national rules specify them.
- The registration and reporting duties that sit alongside the marking.
Common mistakes with France packaging rules
- Applying the Triman logo without the Info-Tri sorting instructions beside it — the mark alone does not satisfy the requirement.
- Covering only the outer carton and forgetting the pump, cap or label, each of which is a separate packaging component.
- Registering with an eco-organisme but never adding the unique identifier where it is required.
- Assuming a compliant German or Italian pack will pass in France. It will not — the French requirement has no equivalent elsewhere.
- Leaving it until the marketplace rejects the listing, which is where most brands actually discover the rule.
Environmental labelling in the rest of Europe
The same service covers six markets. Each one has its own rules, so each one has its own guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Triman logo mandatory for cosmetics sold in France?
For household packaging placed on the French market, yes — the sorting information requirement applies to the packaging, whatever it contains. Cosmetics are not exempt.
Can the Info-Tri be on my website instead of the pack?
French rules allow dematerialised sorting information in defined circumstances, typically where the packaging is too small to carry it. It is an exception with conditions, not a general alternative — we assess whether your pack qualifies.
Do you design the logo artwork for me?
No. We tell you which mark is required, on which component, with what accompanying text and placement. Producing the artwork is your designer’s job — which is exactly why the guide costs €40 rather than a design fee.
I only sell through a French marketplace. Does it still apply?
Yes, and marketplaces have become one of the main enforcement points. Several now check EPR registration and sorting marks before they will list you.
Get your France packaging right before you print
A written compliance guide for €40, covering every component of your pack. Guidance only — no graphic design.