Packaging register - what is it good for and what's new?

Do you know what it's like when your business is just starting up or rolling, and you try to take into account all legal regulations? You have to apply for all licenses and entries in many registers, including the packaging register. But what exactly is the packaging register, and what is it good for? It's super simple - the German Central Packaging Register Office, founded in 2017, maintains a public register called LUCID. This register takes all your packaging data and automatically forwards it to all the important sites.

If you're wondering what this is used for and if you're affected, just keep reading and find out!

Why, when, how?

As a company, you have to register if you bring goods and/or filling material into circulation by mail order. This is independent of the size of your business, turnover, but also the type or quantity of packaging. As soon as your packaging ends up in the rubbish at any point in the supply chain, it must be licensed.

The LUCID Register ensures that retailers and manufacturers take financial responsibility and support sustainability. Any packaging that is registered will be recycled and reused, which should be in everyone's interest for the sake of our environment. Indeed, this is one of the Registry's primary objectives - to increase the rate of recycled packaging material. But you should also do it for the sake of your end consumer, as you will ensure that they can dispose of their packaging free of charge.

And if that doesn't interest you, you should do it for the sake of your own business. Why, you ask? What could possibly happen? We'll tell you - quite a lot! If you're lucky, you'll only receive a warning for committing an administrative offense. Otherwise, you will face a fine of up to 200,000€ and, in the worst case, a sales ban. To easily avoid this potential damage, simply follow the simple steps we explain here!

And this is how it works!

It really isn't too hard. You'll be guided through the process on every registration website, and everything will be explained step by step. Don't worry, you can't do much wrong.

First, you have to register at the central registration office via the registry database LUCID. All the documents you need are listed there for you. At the end of the process, you'll receive a registration number that you should keep safe.

In the second step, you have to license yourself with a dual system. You do this quite simply via a system partner, where you initially enter an estimate of the amount of packaging, including adhesive tape, filling material, etc. In the course of the year, you can submit the actual quantity. After you've entered the quantities, the costs incurred are immediately displayed. Registration itself is free of charge with any system partner and in the register. A dual system, in addition to the district or city, is primarily concerned with the collection, return, and recycling of sales packaging.

Once the process is completed, at the beginning of each year, you have to transmit the quantities of your packaging to your system partner, who then forwards it to the central office. Thus, the system ensures complete transparency.

Until now, there was no obligation to have transport packaging licensed, but this will change from 01.07.2022! From this date, you have to register all packaging that leaves your warehouse, regardless of who the recipient is. Another change is that if you work with a logistics service provider, they can no longer do your registration for you, but you're now responsible for it yourself as a brand. As of 1 July 2022, fulfillment service providers may only provide their fulfillment services if your company is registered in the packaging register, and the packaging (shipping and, if applicable, product packaging) participates in a system.

If you have any questions regarding these topics, you can read everything in detail here in the FAQs.