VerpackG Compliance with Odoo: German Packaging Law Guide for Online Sellers

Germany's Verpackungsgesetz (VerpackG) requires every business that puts packaging into the German market to register, license, and report their packaging volumes. This applies to every eCommerce seller shipping products to German consumers — whether you're based in Germany or shipping cross-border. Non-compliance can result in sales bans on German marketplaces, fines up to EUR 200,000, and forced product delisting.

What Is VerpackG?

VerpackG (the German Packaging Act) has been in effect since January 2019. It replaced the earlier Verpackungsverordnung (VerpackV) and introduced stricter registration, licensing, and reporting requirements.

Who Must Comply?

Every business that is the first to put packaging into the German market:

• Online sellers shipping products to German consumers
• Amazon FBA sellers storing inventory in German warehouses
• Marketplace sellers on Otto, Zalando, Kaufland, and eBay.de
• Cross-border sellers shipping from any country into Germany
• Importers bringing packaged goods into Germany

If you sell a product in packaging to a German consumer, you are the "first distributor" (Erstinverkehrbringer) and VerpackG applies to you.

What Counts as Packaging?

• Sales packaging — Product packaging that reaches the end consumer (boxes, bags, blister packs)
• Shipping packaging — Outer cartons, fill material, tape, labels used for shipping
• Service packaging — Bags and wrapping used at point of sale

All three types fall under VerpackG obligations.

The Three VerpackG Obligations

1. LUCID Registration

Every obligated company must register with the Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister (ZSVR) through the LUCID database (lucid.verpackungsregister.org).

• Registration is free
• You receive a LUCID registration number
• This number must be provided to marketplaces (Amazon, Otto, Zalando, Kaufland all require it)
• Registration data is publicly searchable

2. Dual System Licensing

You must license your packaging volumes with a dual system operator (Systembetreiber):

• Der Grune Punkt (Duales System Deutschland)
• Reclay
• BellandVision
• Interseroh+
• And others

Licensing fees are based on weight and material type of packaging placed into the German market.

3. Volume Reporting

Annual reporting requirements:

• To LUCID — Report total packaging volumes by material type
• To your dual system operator — Volumes must match between your LUCID declaration and system license
• Completeness declaration — Companies exceeding certain thresholds must submit an audited completeness declaration

Tracking VerpackG in Odoo

How ECOSIRE Marketplace Modules Help

Each ECOSIRE German marketplace module tracks packaging data per order:

• Otto Odoo Integration — Records packaging weight per shipment for LUCID reporting
• Zalando Odoo Integration — Tracks packaging across 25 European markets, filtering Germany-specific volumes
• Kaufland Odoo Integration — Multi-market packaging tracking across all 5 Kaufland countries
• Amazon Odoo Integration — FBA and FBM shipment packaging tracking

Setting Up Packaging Tracking in Odoo

Step 1: Define Packaging Types

Create packaging types in Odoo's product packaging module:

• Cardboard box (various sizes with weight)
• Polybag (weight per unit)
• Bubble wrap / fill material (weight per meter)
• Shipping labels and tape (average weight)

Step 2: Assign Packaging to Products

For each product, configure:

• Default shipping box size and weight
• Inner packaging (sales packaging) material and weight
• Fill material requirements

Step 3: Automatic Volume Calculation

When orders ship, Odoo calculates:

• Total packaging weight per order
• Material type breakdown (paper/cardboard, plastic, glass, metal)
• Cumulative volumes for the reporting period

Step 4: Generate VerpackG Reports

At reporting time, export:

• Total packaging weight by material category
• Monthly and annual breakdowns
• Germany-specific volumes (filtered from total shipments)

VerpackG Material Categories

Licensing fees vary by material type:

| Material | Examples | Relative Cost | |----------|----------|--------------| | Paper/Cardboard | Boxes, paper fill, labels | Low | | Plastic | Polybags, bubble wrap, tape | Medium | | Glass | Bottles, jars | High | | Tinplate/Steel | Cans, metal packaging | Medium | | Aluminum | Foil, cans | High | | Composite | Multi-material packaging | High | | Natural materials | Wood, cotton bags | Low |

Most eCommerce sellers primarily use paper/cardboard and plastic.

Marketplace Requirements

German marketplaces actively enforce VerpackG compliance:

Amazon.de

Amazon requires your LUCID registration number in Seller Central. Products without VerpackG compliance can be delisted. Amazon's EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) dashboard tracks your registration status.

Otto Market

Otto requires LUCID registration as part of the seller onboarding process. Products cannot be listed without valid registration.

Zalando

Zalando checks VerpackG compliance for all Partner Program sellers. Registration must be maintained throughout the partnership.

Kaufland

Kaufland Global Marketplace requires LUCID registration number during seller registration. Non-compliant sellers risk account suspension.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is VerpackG and who does it apply to? VerpackG is Germany's packaging law requiring any business that first puts packaging into the German market to register with LUCID, license packaging volumes with a dual system operator, and report annually. It applies to all online sellers shipping to Germany.

What happens if I don't comply with VerpackG? Non-compliance can result in fines up to EUR 200,000, sales bans on German marketplaces, and forced product delisting on Amazon.de, Otto, Zalando, and Kaufland.

How do I calculate my packaging volumes for VerpackG? Track the weight and material type of all packaging used for shipments to Germany. ECOSIRE's marketplace modules (Otto, Zalando, Kaufland, Amazon) automate this tracking per order.

Do I need VerpackG registration for Amazon FBA? Yes. Even though Amazon handles fulfillment, the seller is considered the first distributor and must register with LUCID and license the packaging volumes.

How much does VerpackG licensing cost? Costs depend on your packaging volume and material type. Small eCommerce sellers typically pay EUR 50-300 per year. Larger sellers with high volumes pay more based on weight.

Next Steps

VerpackG compliance is mandatory for selling in Germany. Configure your Odoo instance to track packaging volumes automatically with ECOSIRE's German marketplace modules, or contact our team for help setting up compliant workflows.