Three things come to mind whenever you think of Italy: pizza, pasta, and coffee. The importance of coffee in Italian society cannot be overstated. Italy’s strong coffee culture is a key representative of coffee consumption in Europe, as it is “Europe’s second largest import market for green coffee,” mainly focusing on espresso-based coffees. In 2026, the Italian coffee market size is worth USD 5.92 billion, with a projection to grow up to USD 7.71 billion in 2031 with a 5.44% CAGR (Compounded Annual Growth Rate) according to Mordor Intelligence. In Europe, Italy is the third-largest coffee-consuming country, being responsible for 11% of total European coffee consumption, after Germany (26%) and France (12%).Yet this enormous consumption comes at an environmental price, one that is largely hidden inside the small capsules used to brew each cup.
Coffee capsules are important tools used in the production of coffee, but present one major flaw: they combine multiple materials and contain organic coffee residue, which renders them harder to be recycled. On the other hand, as sustainability becomes an increasingly important priority in European policy and consumer awareness of practical environmental trends grows, the way consumers engage with coffee is about to change.
From August 12th, 2026, the EU’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) will enter into force. Under the new rules, coffee capsules will no longer go into general waste (“indifferenziata” in Italy) but will have to be collected and recycled through dedicated waste streams, even if they contain coffee residue. The EU has introduced this new law to reach two important key targets: 5% reduction in packaging waste by 2030 (compared to 2018 levels) and 15% reduction by 2040. According to data from Biorepack, Italy consumes nearly 3 billion coffee capsules annually, but only 6% of them are compostable or biodegradable. The remaining capsules are made from aluminium (72%) and plastic (24%). Coffee capsules are considered the trial for knowing how to handle complex packaging waste, as the EU is slowly unraveling this new technique and changing our coffee consumption patterns.
Additionally, the regulation is expected to push companies to rethink how capsules are produced, encouraging them to focus on transitioning towards recyclable materials, bioplastics to create fully compostable capsules. However, the tight deadlines to comply with such a complex objective risk exacerbating the problem rather than solving it. “This is a significant step that will improve the management of increasingly widespread packaging and represents a challenge for all players in the supply chain. For this reason, we are studying dedicated processes capable of enhancing this type of packaging to help make the recycling and recovery system increasingly efficient and sustainable,” says Giovanni Cassuti, president of Corepla, the plastic packaging recycling consortium who is teaming up with supply chains and Ministries of the Environment and Enterprises to find an effective solution.
Currently, about one-fifth of coffee capsules sold at supermarkets are already made of bioplastic, although this has not yet become the industry standard. The new rules will affect more than consumers – they’ll impact the entire packaging and recycling system, including manufacturers, coffee brands, recycling facilities, and waste management systems. This new European law is the first step, but it will not create an immediate change in the way we dispose of coffee capsules at home. Citizens must continue complying with the local municipal regulations for the time being until national legislation fully implements the new operating standards.
Coffee is an important staple in Italian society, but sustainability is becoming an equally important priority. A used capsule may seem like a small step, but it represents a significant leap in how Europe is rethinking waste management and environmental responsibility.
Written by Alberto Crisanaz
References
https://caffe-shop.it/il-miracolo-delle-capsule-di-caffe-come-funziona-esattamente/
https://www.cbi.eu/market-information/coffee/italy/market-potential
https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/italy-coffee-market
https://quifinanza.it/green/capsule-caffe-raccolta-differenziata/954814/
