Plastic-to-paper bag conversion: what the EU SUP rules mean for converters

The EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUP) and its national transpositions are pushing paper into categories that were polyethylene for decades. Converters who got ahead of the deadlines now own multi-year contracts. Those who waited are scrambling for capacity.

What the rules actually require

• Lightweight plastic carrier bags banned or taxed in all EU member states.
• Plastic produce bags under 50 µm being phased out across most of the bloc.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees making plastic packaging structurally more expensive year over year.

The kraft grades winning the conversion

• 70–90 g/m² MG brown for grocery and produce.
• 60–80 g/m² MB bleached for bakery and grab-and-go food.
• 100–120 g/m² twisted-handle kraft for retail carriers.
• Wet-strength variants for fish, meat and produce with surface moisture.

Capacity is the bottleneck

European MG and MB capacity is sold out 4–6 months forward as of mid-2026. Buyers placing orders today should expect Q4 delivery for non-contracted volumes.

WeePaper holds dedicated allocations with three European mills for SUP-conversion programmes. Talk to us before you commit to a converter.