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German Packaging Act and LUCID Compliance for eBay Sellers

Learn about the requirements for business sellers impacted by the German Packaging Act (VerpackG). Compliance with the Act must be met as long as you offer shipping to Germany. Below is an outline of the key steps for achieving compliance, which includes obtaining a LUCID number and registering it with your eBay seller account. Also included are the benefits of compliance and the consequences of non-compliance.

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What is the German Packaging Act (VerpackG)?

The German Packaging Act requires businesses selling products to German consumers to take responsibility for the waste their products generate. This law applies to domestic and international sellers selling into Germany.

 

Why do I need a LUCID number?

As a business seller selling to the German market, you need to register with the LUCID database and obtain a LUCID number to comply with the Packaging Act.

Since May 2024, eBay has strictly enforced this requirement. This means that listings without a LUCID number associated with the corresponding account may be removed. Thus, it is essential to register to continue offering your products to German buyers.

 

Who needs to register for a LUCID number?

You need to register for a LUCID number if your business:

  • Packages and ships its own items into Germany, or
  • Imports already-packaged items into Germany.

 

What do I need to do to comply?

There are 3 main steps for complying with the German Packaging Act:

1. Get a packaging license: This means registering the amount of packaging materials you send to Germany. There are several systems to choose from. Webinterpret recommends using eBay's partner, Lizenzero, to assist with this process. Your license will need to be renewed annually. You can use this free online calculator to estimate your annual licensing fee. A step-by-step guide is available here.

2. Register for a LUCID number: This is a unique identification number for your business related to packaging. You will need to register your business in the LUCID database to obtain it. This number is also known as an EPR number. A step-by-step guide is available here.

3. Add your LUCID number to eBay:

  1. Go to My eBay > Account
  2. Go to Personal Information and Privacy > Business Information
  3. Go to Business details and click Add next to Lucid ID
  4. Enter your LUCID number and click Save
  5. You should receive a confirmation that you have added your LUCID number successfully.

Note: Your LUCID number is not added to individual listings. Instead, it is linked to your seller account.

 

What happens if I don't comply?

Listings associated with seller accounts that don't have a LUCID number may be subject to various actions by eBay:

  • Listings removed: Listings can be removed from eBay.de. Since May 2024, stricter enforcement has already removed a significant number of German listings.
  • Listings hidden: Listings may be flagged with a Policy Violation (attributed to a generic error or EPR legislation) and hidden (which means they have not been ended but are not visible to buyers). Once the LUCID number has been added to your eBay account, items will become buyable again without losing their sales history.

Important: The German Packaging Act requires that all sellers sending products to Germany must register and obtain a LUCID number. This applies even if you offer shipping to Germany from your domestic eBay market, or from your own online store.

In the future, eBay may also take action against listings that don't comply with the regulation, including paying the eco-participation fee on sellers' behalf and invoicing them, as mentioned in the August 2022 eBay User Agreement update.

 

Benefits of complying

By complying with the Packaging Act, you can:

  • Ensure your listings remain visible to German buyers (including your domestic listings), and
  • Benefit from decreased competition in the German market as non-compliant listings are removed.

 

Where can I find more information?

The following resources contain more information and support about the German Packaging Act (VerpackG) and LUCID:

If you encounter any problems, please contact eBay customer support.

 

[VIDEO] How to comply with the German Packaging Act (VerpackG) and obtain a LUCID ID for eBay