Household packaging sold in France must carry the Triman logo together with a sorting instruction, printed on the packaging or on a sticker stuck to it. Very small packaging is partly exempt, and one label can cover a shipping box and its filling. The duty comes from article L. 541-9-3 of the Environmental Code and has applied to household packaging since 9 September 2022.Sources (3)
French Ministry of EcologicaFrench Ministry of Ecological Transition — FAQ on the Triman logo and sorting instructionsAdelpheAdelphe — Info-tri guide for household packaging (November 2023)
LégifranceLégifrance — Code de l'environnement
What the label is
Two parts, placed together. The Triman logo tells the consumer that the item is covered by a sorting rule. The sorting instruction, known as Info-tri, says where each element goes: the sorting bin, a collection point, a shop. Article R. 541-12-21 requires the two to be joined.
Where it goes
- Household packaging: on the packaging itself, or on a sticker stuck to the packaging. Glass drinks packaging is the one exception.
- Products in another regulated category, such as clothing, toys or electricals: on the product, on its packaging or, failing that, in the documents supplied with it, such as the instructions.
- Digital documents are not covered by the duty.
Small packaging
| Largest side of the product or packaging | What must be on it |
|---|---|
| Between 10 cm² and 20 cm² | The Triman logo only; the sorting instruction may be given online |
| Under 10 cm² | Nothing; both may be given online |
| Cylindrical or spherical items | The same rules, with thresholds of 20 cm² and 40 cm² |
Online sellers: one label for the whole parcel
The ministry's FAQ addresses this case directly. A seller who ships in a cardboard box, sometimes with filling material, may use the same boxes every time, with one instruction printed on the box that covers both the box and the filling, whether or not filling is inside.
A packaged product that falls under its own category, such as a pair of shoes in a box, needs only one Triman logo when the two sorting instructions sit side by side.
Sold in France and abroad: the “FR” tab
If the same packaging is also sold outside France, the Info-tri guide makes an “FR” tab on the instruction block mandatory. It tells consumers in other countries that the instructions apply to France only.
Where the artwork comes from
The Triman logo is fixed by regulation. The sorting instruction for each category is proposed by that category's eco-organismes and validated by the administration, and your eco-organisme's Info-tri guide contains the graphic elements to use. For household packaging the instruction was validated on 9 September 2021 and became mandatory on 9 September 2022.
The label is one of two things French law makes visible to buyers. The other is your identifier: see where you must show your IDU.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- French Ministry of Ecological Transition — FAQ on the Triman logo and sorting instructions
- Adelphe — Info-tri guide for household packaging (November 2023)
- Légifrance — Code de l'environnement
Founder of EPR France Rep, the France-based EPR authorised representative for companies selling into France.
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