00:04Welcome to Euronews'a fact-checking show, The Cube.
00:07Will the EU ban classic six packs of bottled water this summer?
00:10That's the claim circulating on social media.
00:13Among those promoting it is French MP Virginie Joron
00:17from the far-right National Rally and the Patriot for Europe group.
00:20She says new EU rules will force consumers to carry water bottles individually.
00:24But this is misleading.
00:26The EU has introduced legislation as part of a broader effort to cut packaging waste
00:30and phase out certain non-recyclable materials by 2030.
00:35The rules will take effect on the 12th of August, but they do not ban bottled water multi-packs.
00:40They only introduce new limits on PFAS, a group of so-called forever chemicals,
00:45in materials that come into contact with food.
00:47The European Commission told us that the first measures affecting plastic multi-packs
00:51will not apply until 2029.
00:53That is when single-use plastic rings used to hold bottles and cans together
00:58are due to be phased out under existing EU legislation.
01:01The regulation also places restrictions on some types of group packaging,
01:05including the plastic shrink wrap used to bundle certain products.
01:09But group packaging made from materials other than plastic will still be permitted.
01:14And the regulation includes an important exemption
01:16where group packaging is necessary for handling or transporting products,
01:20it can still be used.
01:22The rules are mainly aimed at unnecessary single-use plastic packaging
01:26designed to encourage consumers to buy multiple items at once,
01:30for example, plastic wrapping around multi-packs of cans or other retail goods.
01:34For bottled water, multi-packs are widely expected to qualify for the handling exemption
01:39because of their weight, although the European Commission has yet to publish its final guidelines.
01:44That guidance is expected by February 2027,
01:48when the Commission will clarify exactly which packaging formats are covered
01:51and which exemptions apply.
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