Irish Restaurants & Packaging Costs in 2025–2026: What the Data Actually Shows

The shock was not a single event — it was a cascade. COVID-19 factory shutdowns in 2020 reduced global packaging manufacturing capacity just as foodservice switched almost entirely to delivery, massively increasing demand for takeaway boxes, foil containers, paper bags, and single-use cups.

By 2021 demand had rebounded but capacity had not. The second wave hit when container shipping rates from China — the origin point for the majority of raw packaging materials and finished packaging goods — rose by over 800% between early 2020 and Q4 2021. A 40ft container that cost $1,800 to ship pre-COVID peaked at over $20,000 at the height of the crisis.

Simultaneously, raw material prices surged: virgin pulp up ~45%, recycled paper/board up ~60%, petroleum-derived plastics up ~30%, and aluminium (used in foil trays) up ~40% from trough to peak. Irish importers and distributors — who had no domestic manufacturing base to insulate them — absorbed or passed on every layer.

The typical Irish restaurant buys packaging through a kitchen distributor — the same company that delivers cooking oil, napkins, and cleaning supplies. This convenience comes at a cost: distributor margins on packaging range from 15% to 30% above what a dedicated packaging wholesaler charges, and kitchen distributors do not carry the full range of sizes, board grades, or print options.

Switching even 50% of packaging spend to a specialist Irish packaging supplier can realistically cut packaging line costs by 12–20%, with better lead times and no minimum order quantity surprises.

The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) entered force in February 2025. For Irish foodservice operators the most immediate obligations are:

• Mandatory recycled content targets — packaging must hit minimum recycled content thresholds by 2030, ramping from 2026. Early-movers who switch now will avoid a forced disruptive change later.
• Single-use plastic restrictions — the SUP Directive already bans plates, cutlery, straws, and polystyrene cups in Ireland. PPWR extends the scope and tightens enforcement, particularly for labelling requirements.
• Reuse schemes — PPWR mandates reuse targets for food and beverage packaging in certain service contexts by 2030. Takeaway-first operators are partially insulated, but eat-in operations face more significant change.

Repak's 10-year licence, confirmed in January 2026, gives Ireland a stable producer responsibility scheme through 2035. Businesses paying Repak levies can expect levy structures to remain broadly stable — but the levy itself is calculated per kilogram of packaging placed on market, so reducing overall packaging weight and switching to lighter substrates directly reduces your Repak bill.

Smurfit WestRock's consolidation (completed 2024) has created the world's largest paper and board company with significant Irish roots. For Irish buyers this has mixed implications: procurement leverage increases for large buyers, but smaller operators may face longer lead times as the combined entity optimises its global order book.

At €1.80 per delivery order, packaging is a small number — until you realise a busy Dublin takeaway doing 150 delivery orders per day is spending €270/day or €98,550/year on packaging for delivery alone. A 15% reduction in packaging cost through bulk ordering and SKU rationalisation saves nearly €15,000 annually. That is not a rounding error — that is a part-time salary.