New Packaging Act: What’s Changing for German Companies Now

The German Packaging Directive has been in effect in the EU since 1994 and was implemented in Germany through the Packaging Act (VerpackG) – but that will change in 2026. New obligations, expanded producer responsibility, and higher recycling rates: What German companies need to know now. 

The new European Packaging Regulation (Regulation on Paper and Packaging Waste) PPWR entered into force on February 11, 2025. Starting August 12, 2026, it must be strictly enforced. Unlike the old EU directive, which first had to be transposed into national law, the new regulation is directly applicable. However, since the PPWR has not yet specified many requirements – both at the EU level and at the national level – the German federal government consequently presented a first draft of the Packaging Implementation Act (VerpackDG) on February 11, 2026.  

PPWR and Packaging Implementation Act: What’s the difference?

The PPWR and the VerpackDG are two different laws that are closely interlinked. PPWR focuses on the production and distribution of packaging. The German Packaging Implementation Act adresses the placement of products on the market and supplements the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. For example, it covers exemptions, language requirements for the declaration of conformity (DoC), and the promotion of reusable beverage packaging through pooling systems. 

Important for German companies: The PPWR redefines the roles of a company, including the definition of a manufacturer and its responsibilities. The German Packaging Implementation Act adds two national roles: 

• First Distributor
• Distributors 

In addition, German law defines other types of packaging – even though some of these may overlap with those specified in the PPWR: 

• Single-use plastic food packaging 
• Packaging with residual contents 
• Beverage packaging 
• Single-use plastic packaging 

New requirements under PPWR and Packaging Implementation Act 

What does this mean specifically for German companies? The new regulations significantly expand existing obligations and introduce new requirements. 

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): What’s Changing for Businesses

The definition of manufacturer has been significantly expanded. Whereas previously only manufacturers of pre-filled packaging were affected, the requirement of system participation now applies to significantly more companies. The participation requirement itself is also being expanded: it now applies to primary production packaging, transport packaging, and service packaging as well. Retail and outer packaging remain subject to the participation requirement. The VerpackDG generally excludes packaging that can be demonstrated not to be supplied to end consumers within Germany. Industry-specific solutions are still possible. 

Another new requirement is the mandatory registration for EPR organizations. In addition, for the first time, individual approval procedures are available for manufacturers without organization. 

Requirement to register with the packaging registry: Deadlines and requirements 

Manufacturers must report their packaging data to the Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister (Central Packaging Register) without delay. The declaration of completeness must be submitted annually by May 15 to the designated office and must cover all packaging made available in Germany for the first time during the preceding calendar year. 

Participation fees: Who pays what under the new Packaging Act? 

Participation fees can now also be paid directly by EPR organizations and manufacturers. The fees must be used specifically to advance sustainability goals:

• Promotion and expansion of reusable and refill systems 
• Investments in circular business models 
• Information campaigns for consumers on refill options  

Recycling rates for 2028/2030: New requirements for packaging 

Recycling rates are rising significantly, including for:  

• Aluminum and ferrous metals: 95% starting in 2028 (an increase of 5%) 
• Plastic waste: at least 75% by 2028, 80% by 2030 
• Of this amount, 70% must be sent for material recycling starting in 2028, and 75% starting in 2030  

PPWR Compliance Software: How to automate implementation

The requirements of PPWR and the German Packaging Implementation Act (VerpackDG) pose operational challenges for many companies. Compliance software can streamline and automate these processes. The following overview highlights typical challenges and potential solutions using the example of the osapiens HUB for Product Compliance: 

Step	Challenge	Approach
1. Identify products	Companies do not have a complete understanding of which of their products are subject to the new regulations and what their own role is.	Automatic identification of obligations and creation of a central database with system integration
2. Structure data queries	Companies often fulfill multiple roles simultaneously (e.g., manufacturer and distributor) – a scalable, role-based data query system is necessary.	Preconfigured templates for role-based data queries
3. Onboard suppliers	Manually sending product information is time-consuming, error-prone, and costly. In addition, there often are language barriers.	Automated workflows and a multilingual supplier portal with self-registration
4. Monitor status	Product data is scattered across various systems – making it difficult to track compliance status.	Central platform with product profiles and an ERP-integrated bill of materials
5. Create documents	Manually creating a declaration of conformity is error-prone and resource-intensive.	Automatic generation of PPWR-compliant documentation

Checklist: Selecting software for packaging compliance

• System integration: Integration with existing ERP and PLM systems 
• Multilingualism: Important for international supply chains 
• Role-based logic: Integration of various PPWR roles 
• Automation: From data retrieval to document creation 

Questions about implementation? Talk to our compliance experts.