eBay, Amazon, Kaufland - the selection of online marketplaces that many retailers use as an (additional) sales channel is huge. But what about the regulations under the German Packaging Act? We show you which packaging you are responsible for. If you are responsible, this means that you must commission a dual system to collect, sort and recycle your packaging. This is done via a license agreement that you conclude for your packaging - for example, via Lizenzero. You have then completely fulfilled your to-do's by registering and reporting data in the LUCID packaging register. Find out more.
Use our examples to find out which packaging you are responsible for:
You sell via a marketplace
You are responsible for the following packaging and require a packaging license for this:
- All product packaging filled by you, including all components
- Shipping packaging with all filling materials and packaging aids
Since July 2022, marketplaces have been subject to an inspection obligation. As a marketplace retailer, you must now prove to your marketplace that your packaging is licensed with a dual system and that you are registered in the LUCID packaging register. As the final distributor, you also have a duty of proof for packaging that has already been filled by other retailers and should request confirmation of licensing.
You use fulfillment
If you use fulfillment service providers for shipping, you hand over the task of packing and shipping.
You are responsible for the following packaging and require a packaging license for this:
- The product packaging filled by your service providers, including all components
- Shipping packaging, including all filling materials and packaging aids
Since July 2022, there are no longer any exceptions in fulfillment, so the commissioning retailer is always responsible for licensing the packaging. As the final distributor, you also have a duty of proof for packaging that has already been filled by other retailers and should request confirmation of licensing.
You use dropshipping
- In dropshipping, service providers (wholesalers/producers) fill the product packaging and also the shipping packaging - so you are not responsible for their licensing. Since July 2022, you as a marketplace retailer must nevertheless have proof of packaging licensing and be able to present this to your marketplace. You can request this proof from your shipper.
- When importing goods: If you import products from abroad in order to subsequently sell them to German end consumers via marketplaces, you are responsible for all imported packaging. You can find out more here: The packaging law for importers.
You send goods to German companies like cinemas, hotels or hospitals
If your customers belong to the so-called equivalent sources (e.g. sports stadiums, cinemas, hospitals, hotels, etc.), they are also to be considered private end users; according to the German Packaging Act, you are therefore responsible for licensing the following packaging:
- all packaging (product and/or shipping packaging) that you fill yourself
Packaging licensing that can do more
How it works
Calculate licence fee
Enter your packaging volumes per material in our calculator.
If you don't know your volumes, our calculation tool can help.
Create a Lizenzero account
The next step is to create your customer account.
This will give you access to many great services that will make your life easier (e.g. volume download for LUCID).
Close licence
Select your payment method and confirm the conclusion of the contract. That's it!
Achieve more
We not only recycle your packaging and thus save large volumes of greenhouse gases and primary raw materials, but also renaturalise a piece of moorland under the motto ‘We want Moore’.
You can find all the information here.
Achieve more
We not only recycle your packaging and thus save large volumes of greenhouse gases and primary raw materials, but also renaturalise a piece of moorland under the motto ‘We want Moore’.
You can find all the information here.
