EU 'forever chemicals' packaging curbs hit Milan's food sector

New European Union restrictions on toxic substances known as 'forever chemicals' in food packaging took effect on Wednesday, alongside broader rules aimed at cutting packaging waste across the bloc, according to The Local Italy.

The measures target per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of chemicals widely used for their resistance to heat, water and grease. Their persistence in the environment and links to health problems have made them a focus of EU regulators.

For Lombardy, the timing is significant. The region is home to a dense cluster of food producers and packaging manufacturers, many of them small and medium-sized enterprises that supply Italy's substantial export market in prepared foods, dairy and confectionery.

The new rules, reported by The Local Italy, represent the latest step in the EU's broader effort to phase out PFAS from consumer products. Food packaging has been a particular concern because the chemicals can migrate from wrappers and containers into the food itself.

Lombardy's food industry, which includes some of Italy's best-known brands in coffee, chocolate and cured meats, will need to adapt its supply chains to comply, a process that often requires reformulating packaging materials and finding alternative coatings. The cost and complexity of such changes typically fall hardest on smaller producers, which dominate the region's artisanal food sector.

The packaging waste rules add another layer of pressure. Companies must now meet stricter recyclability standards and reduce unnecessary packaging, a challenge for a sector that relies heavily on plastic and multi-material laminates to preserve freshness and extend shelf life.

Foreign press coverage has noted that Italy's food exports have been a rare bright spot in the country's economy, and Lombardy is at the centre of that trade. Any disruption to packaging supply chains could ripple through the region's logistics and manufacturing base, which is already contending with rising energy costs and a prolonged heatwave that has strained northern Italy's water resources.

The EU's move is part of a wider regulatory push that has drawn attention from international business media, which have tracked how European rules increasingly shape the operating environment for Italian companies. For Milan's business community, the new restrictions are the latest reminder that Brussels, not Rome, often sets the pace on environmental standards.

Industry associations have not yet publicly detailed the compliance costs, and the full impact on Lombardy's packaging producers will depend on how quickly alternatives to PFAS-based materials can be scaled up. The new rules took effect immediately, but enforcement and transition periods may vary by product category, according to the reports.