Extension of the mandatory deposit from 1 January 2024

Previously, milk and mixed milk drinks as well as other drinkable milk products were exempt from the statutory deposit requirement in the Packaging Act (Section 31 VerpackG). This will now change from 1 January 2024, when milk and mixed milk drinks with a milk content of at least 50% and other drinkable milk products in accordance with the Milk and Margarine Act (e.g. yoghurt and kefir) will be covered by the deposit requirement if they are filled in disposable plastic bottles. The exemption no longer applied to milk products filled in drinks cans. The deposit obligation covers disposable plastic drinks bottles with a filling volume of 0.1 to 3 litres in which dairy products are filled.

The Packaging Act obliges the manufacturers of these disposable drinks containers to charge their customers a deposit of at least €0.25 including VAT per container. All other distributors must charge this deposit until the packaging is handed over to the end consumer. The distributors are also obliged to take back the empty one-way drinks packaging free of charge and refund the deposit. The drinks packaging must also be labelled as being subject to a deposit. Manufacturers must participate in a nationwide, standardised deposit system that enables deposit refund claims to be processed. Deutsche Pfandsystem GmbH (DPG) provides general information on the single-use deposit system as well as information for manufacturers/first distributors and return customers.

The Central Agency Packaging Register (ZSVR) provides information about other producer obligations, such as the change in registration, on its website.

The above-mentioned dairy products may no longer be sold without a deposit from 1 January 2024. Violations may constitute an administrative offence and be punished with fines by the federal states responsible for enforcing the Packaging Act.