Mail order companies and online retailers
Are you a mail order company or online retail shipping goods within Germany, or an international company that has no branch in Germany, but distributes its goods in Germany?
Producers within the meaning of the Verpackungsgesetz (Packaging Act) are required to register with the LUCID Packaging Register, enter into a so-called ‘system participation agreement’ for packaging subject to system participation, and submit data reports on their packaging volumes.
Checklist to help you fulfil the registration and system participation requirements
The Verpackungsgesetz (Packaging Act) for mail order companies and online retailers - for the ten essential questions and answers click here.
In our FAQ section, you can find answers to these and other questions:
4.8 What is shipment packaging?
5.11 What applies to packaging where there is no brand name?
5.12 What applies to shipment packaging for online retailers?
5.16 How does "registering (foreign) brands as a distributor/retailer" work?
7.2.2 What applies for online retail?
7.4.6.1 Who bears producer responsibility for shipment packaging?
Would you like to register for the first time or make changes to your existing registration? Click here for the LUCID Packaging Register.
Watch these explanatory films about first-time registration or registration amendments to find out how registration works.
Manufacturers, retail companies, importers, mail order companies, online retailers – they all can be producers within the meaning of the Verpackungsgesetz.
Details can be found in the ‘About the term ‘producer’’ graphic
Delineation and obligations – What packaging types are there? Which are subject to system participation, and which are not?
Details can be found in the ‘Packaging subject to system participation and packaging not subject to system participation’ graphic
Operators of electronic marketplaces have been required since 1 July 2022 to check whether the retailers active on their platforms are complying with their obligations under packaging law.
Watch this short film to learn more.
Are you placing packaging that is subject to system participation on the German market? If the answer is 'yes', then registering with the LUCID Packaging Register is not enough. You also have to enter into a system participation agreement with one or more system(s), and regularly submit reports about your packaging volumes.
Explanatory film about system participation
System operators overview
More about data reporting in the LUCID Packaging Register
International companies without a branch in Germany can appoint an authorised representative to fulfil their statutory obligations for them.
Check the Authorising a representative knowledge base.