compliance teamSorting information and the Triman marking on French packaging
Step 1
Inventory pack formats
Step 2
Check each against the rule
Step 3
Fix artwork or dematerialise
Step 4
Plan the EU transition
| Control | Evidence to retain |
|---|---|
| Scope | Entity, product, channel, scheme and source |
| External action | Version, date, authorised filer and issued receipt |
| Maintenance | Source data, approval, invoice and next deadline |
Sorting information belongs on the packaging
Decree no. 2021-835 of 29 June 2021 sets out consumer sorting information for products under extended producer responsibility that are intended for households. The signage is designed to tell a French consumer what to do with the packaging.
Membership of an eco-organisation does not place that signage on your artwork. It is the producer that decides what is printed, which is why this duty is missed so often by cross-border sellers.
Small surfaces have defined cases, not a general exemption
The rules provide for information to be made available in dematerialised form in defined small-surface cases. Whether a given pack qualifies is a measurement and format question rather than a judgement call.
A pack designed for several European markets can end up satisfying none of them precisely. The review is done against the French text, format by format.
The EU marking arrives later and changes nothing today
Regulation (EU) 2025/40 introduces a harmonised EU packaging marking on its own timetable. Until it applies, the current French duties stand.
A transition that has not started is not a reason to leave a current duty unmet, and it is not a reason to reprint everything early either. The sequence is documented so artwork changes happen once.
Conclusion
Scope comes before a form. Connect the legal entity, product, sales channel and EPR stream to the rule that actually applies.
Evidence must remain traceable. Keep source data, versions, approvals, filings, receipts and every record issued by an external body.
Third-party decisions are never guaranteed. Eco-organisations, the public register and marketplaces control their own procedures, timing and decisions.