VerpackG — is a German packaging law dating from 1 January 2019. It outlines the requirements for online store owners and retailers on marketplaces who sell goods to customers in Germany and ship parcels to Germany. In particular, this legal act requires the recycling and reuse of packaging materials. If we simplify it, every seller who ships parcels to Germany must register and pay a small fee for the disposal of the packaging of their shipments. From July 1, 2022, the law’s requirements for online marketplaces took effect, requiring them to verify that sellers have a valid registration in LUCID.
Who is this article for?
- For owners of online stores and marketplace sellers from Ukraine who ship parcels to customers in Germany.
- For those who have heard about VerpackG and LUCID, but do not understand whether they need to register themselves.
- For Western Bid clients who want to ship parcels to Germany with minimal bureaucratic risks.
What is LUCID
LUCID – this is a German packaging registry that contains information on registered manufacturers, tools for reporting on planned and actual use of packaging, and the ability to pay packaging disposal fees.
The Packaging Act (Verpackungsgesetz) uses the collective term ‘manufacturer(s)’ to designate the obligated primary distributors: manufacturers, retailers, importers, online stores and mail-order companies, as well as other distributors.
How to register for LUCID
If you are a manufacturer who commercially places packaging with a product on the German market, you are required to register in the LUCID Packaging Register. Registration is free of charge and available only to legal entities. Please note: the sender’s address must match the registration address in LUCID. The LUCID registration number must be indicated on the box (packaging) of your shipment next to the sender’s address.
During the registration process, you will need to select one of the companies that handle packaging recycling, determine the type of packaging in which you plan to send shipments to Germany, forecast the packaging volume, and pay the packaging recycling fee. After the end of the reporting year, these values are adjusted. You can determine the type of packaging HERE.
LUCID registration checklist
- Make sure that you, as a legal entity, commercially ship packaged goods to customers in Germany.
- Register in the LUCID Packaging Register at lucid.verpackungsregister.org.
- Select one of the packaging waste disposal companies (Dual System) and enter into a contract for packaging recycling.
- Determine the types of packaging you use and forecast your annual packaging volume.
- Pay the disposal contribution, and after the year ends adjust the actual volumes in the report.
- Place your LUCID number on the box (packaging) next to the sender’s address if you ship it yourself.
What will happen if you send a parcel to Germany and do not register in LUCID?
If you are a legal entity but have not registered and continue to ship parcels to Germany, you may face a warning or a fine up to 200 000 euros, and the parcels may be seized by German customs and disposed of. The criteria for choosing the sanction in practice are not yet very clear.
Marketplaces also require a LUCID registration number for sales in Germany. In the Etsy seller handbook, it states that marketplaces are obliged to verify whether the seller has an active LUCID registration before entering into any purchase agreements, and the ability to sell in Germany may be restricted if it is absent. Whether the presence or absence of the LUCID identification number affects how your products are shown and listed in search results for German customers is not definitively known. You can read the full Etsy article HERE.
When you truly need your own LUCID
- If you, as a legal entity, send parcels to Germany directly without intermediaries.
- If you sell on marketplaces and ship orders in your own name without using services that take on LUCID obligations.
- If your contracts or partnership agreements explicitly require your own LUCID number.
Shipping to Germany independently and via Western Bid
| Question | Self-Shipping | Shipping via Western Bid (UPS, DPD) |
|---|---|---|
| Registration in LUCID | A registration and a contract with a waste management company are required. | You may choose not to register your own LUCID number for labeling shipments. |
| LUCID number on packaging | Your own number must be displayed next to the sender’s address. | The packaging shows the Western Bid LUCID number; you do not need to apply anything else. |
| Risks of fines under VerpackG | Possible warnings, fines up to €200,000 and seizure of parcels. | Reduced risks, since Western Bid is a party with its own LUCID. |
Ship parcels to Germany correctly
- Assess whether you are ready to register for LUCID yourself and administer packaging reporting.
- If not, send shipments to Germany via UPS or DPD in the Western Bid service to use the company’s LUCID number.
- If you have questions about choosing a delivery method and working with Germany, contact Western Bid support.
If you plan to scale sales in Germany, pair VerpackG compliance with Western Bid’s convenient logistics services for stable international trade.
Delivery to Germany from Ukraine via Western Bid
But there is good news for our customers! If you send parcels to Germany via our UPS, FedEx or DPD services, then you don’t need to put the LUCID number on the packaging! When sending your parcels, we will indicate our LUCID identification number.
Frequently Asked Questions about LUCID and VerpackG
What is LUCID and what is it used for?
LUCID is a German packaging registry where manufacturers and primary distributors register, report packaging volumes, and pay fees for its disposal.
Who is considered the 'manufacturer' under the packaging law?
VerpackG uses the term ‘manufacturer’ for all primary distributors: manufacturers, retailers, importers, online stores and mail-order companies that first place packaged goods on the German market.
Is registration in LUCID mandatory for sending parcels to Germany?
If you as a legal entity send packages to Germany yourself, you must register with LUCID, enter into a contract with a waste disposal company, and pay fees.
What are the risks of sending parcels without registration in LUCID?
In the absence of registration you face a warning or a fine of up to 200 000 euros, and shipments may be seized by German customs and disposed of.
Do marketplaces check for the presence of a LUCID number?
Yes. Etsy explicitly states that marketplaces are required to verify an active registration in LUCID before selling in Germany, and the ability to sell may be restricted if the number is missing.
Do you need to include your LUCID on parcels when sending via Western Bid?
No, if you are sending parcels to Germany via Western Bid’s UPS or DPD services: in such cases the Western Bid LUCID number is indicated on the packaging, and you do not need to specify your own number.