Germany
Germany Packaging EPR for Online Sellers: Start With LUCID
If you commercially distribute packaged goods to customers in Germany, begin with the official LUCID Packaging Register guidance. Its online-retailer guidance says the registration requirement applies to online retail and mail order, whether sales happen through an own shop or marketplace.
The first official route
LUCID explains registration, brand details and additional packaging-law steps. Registration itself and system participation are different steps, so read the official guidance before treating a registration number as the entire workflow.
Prepare before you register
Have company identity details, brand names, packaging types and a record of the packaging you place on the German market. Confirm which party is responsible where goods are imported or supplied through another business.
What changes in 2026
LUCID states that from 12 August 2026 companies should check which packaging units make them a producer and which brand names must be entered. Use its current guidance rather than an old marketplace checklist.
Start with the checker
Use the Packaging EPR Checker to create a market-by-market action list, then open the official sources before acting.
Questions sellers ask
Is LUCID registration enough?
Not always. The official guidance distinguishes registration from other possible obligations such as system participation and data reporting.
Can an overseas seller ignore LUCID?
The official online-retailer guidance says the registration requirement applies regardless of where the company is based. Confirm your own facts with the register guidance.
Official sources
- European Commission — Packaging waste and PPWR ↗
- Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR) ↗
- Germany — LUCID guidance for online retailers ↗
- Spain — Producer Register, Packaging ↗
Last reviewed: 2026-08-20. This guide is educational and not legal advice.