Print On Demand and Packaging Law: What Do I Need to Consider Regarding VerpackG and LUCID Packaging Register?
What is the Packaging Act (VerpackG) and What Does it Regulate?
The Packaging Act (VerpackG) is a German legal regulation that governs the responsibility for packaging. It establishes that manufacturers and distributors are responsible for the proper disposal and recycling of their packaging. The law aims to reduce environmental impacts caused by packaging materials and promotes the recycling of packaging waste.
Who is Subject to the Packaging Act?
The Packaging Act applies to manufacturers and distributors who introduce packaging into circulation in Germany ("initial distributors"). This includes companies offering packaged goods in the German market, regardless of their size or industry.
What Obligations Do Retailers Have Under the Packaging Act?
- Obligation to Participate (Participation in a dual system): Retailers must participate in a dual system for the proper disposal and recycling of packaging.
- Registration Obligation (LUCID registration with the ZSVR): Retailers need to register in the LUCID system with the Central Agency Packaging Register (ZSVR).
- Data Reporting Obligation (Report waste quantity): Retailers are required to report the quantity of waste generated from packaging materials.
Should I Register with LUCID, or Will Printegy Handle It for Me?
If you use our Print on Demand (PoD) service, you naturally wonder who is responsible for these points – you or us at Printegy? There is no one-size-fits-all answer because there are three options, depending on your shipping settings in our app:
1. Printegy as the Sender
If you choose Printegy as the sender with our address, there is nothing more for you to do. In this context of the Packaging Act (VerpackG), we are considered the initial distributor, and we handle all resulting obligations on your behalf. You also won't incur any packaging fees.
If you're unsure about whom to mark as the sender – yourself or Printegy, read our blog post on this topic: read now
2. Your Shop Name & Printegy Address
If you specify your shop name as the sender but with the Printegy address and our brand name "Fulfillment Center," you don't need to worry about anything further.
NOTE: However, if you are using our service in combination with a marketplace, such as Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, etc., it may be necessary for you to provide our LUCID ID to officially confirm that registration, data reporting, and fee payment according to the Packaging Act (VerpackG) are being handled by a third-party provider.
To obtain our LUCID ID, contact our support team via email at hello@printegy.de.
3. Your Shop and Your Company Address as the Sender
If you specify your shop along with your company address as the sender, you should undertake the following steps yourself:
- Register your brand for free in the packaging register and perform data reporting.
- Purchase a paid license for packaging from a system partner (e.g., "Der Grüne Punkt," "Recycling Dual," "Lizenzero," etc.)
- Inquire about the weight for the packaging from us. For this, please contact our support team via email at hello@printegy.de
You need to request the necessary information for system participation, such as quantities and types of shipping packaging, from us for the previous year and submit the corresponding proof of system participation at the beginning of each year.
