Service packaging
Pizza boxes, bakery bags, cream jars filled at pharmacies – are you using service packaging to hand over your goods to customers? If you are, then there are legal obligations that you are required to fulfil.
You are required to register with the LUCID Packaging Register in any case. When purchasing the service packaging that you want to use for your products, there are two options: you can purchase it with or without system participation.
If your packaging supplier has already participated the service packaging with a system, then that service packaging is 'pre-participated'. Please make sure that this pre-participation is stated on an invoice or delivery note.
However, if you purchased your service packaging without pre-participation, you are required to bear the cost for that packaging's recovery and recycling yourself. That means that you need to participate the service packaging with a system by concluding an agreement with one or more system operator(s). In addition, if you purchased your service packaging without pre-participation, you are required to submit regular data reports on your packaging volumes to your system and to the LUCID Packaging Register.
What is service packaging?
Service packaging is packaging that is filled at the point of sale and used to enable or support handing over goods to the final consumer.
Service packaging is subject to system participation without exception – What does this mean to you?
Watch this explanatory film to learn more about what service packaging is, what your obligations under German packaging law are and how you can fulfil them.
Final distributors of service packaging can buy pre-participated unfilled service packaging from a supplier or wholesaler.
This graphic shows details about this special provision and how you can use it to fulfil your packaging law obligations.
If you are a final distributor of service packaging, you now must register with the LUCID Packaging Register. This also applies if you purchase exclusively pre-participated packaging. You can find out more in this short film.
Follow these step-by-step guides to comply with German packaging law.
Checklist to help you fulfil the registration and system participation requirements
Checklist: 'What do I have to know before registering?'
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.
Further resources on German packaging law
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
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
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