Checked: 7 October 2026 — the date every statement on this page was checked against the sources below.
Use less packaging, and use paper instead of plastic where you can: per kilogram, plastic costs roughly four to five times as much to license as paper and cardboard. On the published rates we read on 21 September 2026, paper cost €0.22 to €0.33 per kilogram and plastic €0.98 to €1.61. For a very small seller none of this changes the bill, because the operator's minimum annual fee applies first. Sources (3)EPR Germany RepEPR Germany Rep — dual-system licence rates dataset, read 21 September 2026
VerpackDG § 7VerpackDG § 7
ZSVR helpZSVR help — System participation
How the fee is built
The licence fee is paid to a dual system, not to your representative. It is charged per kilogram and the rate depends on the material. Each system sets its own rates, and most set a minimum annual fee, typically €25 to €45, that very small volumes pay instead of the per-kilogram amount.
What each material costs
These are the lowest and highest published rates across the five operators in our dual-system rates dataset, read on 21 September 2026.
| Material | Per kilogram |
|---|---|
| Glass | €0.09 to €0.13 |
| Paper, board, carton | €0.22 to €0.33 |
| Ferrous metals | €0.97 to €1.51 |
| Aluminium | €0.98 to €1.55 |
| Plastic | €0.98 to €1.61 |
| Other composites | €0.82 to €1.57 |
Four changes that reduce the bill
- Paper tape instead of plastic tape. Tape is usually the only plastic in a cardboard parcel. Paper tape moves those grams into the cheapest common material group.
- Paper filling instead of bubble wrap or air cushions. The same switch, for the same reason.
- A smaller box. The fee follows weight, so a box that fits the product costs less than one padded out to size.
- The right operator for your mix. The spread between operators is wide: for plastic, the highest published rate is about 65% above the lowest. Which operator is cheapest depends on your materials.
When it makes no difference
If your per-kilogram total is below the operator's minimum annual fee, you pay the minimum whatever you pack with. At the lowest paper rate, €0.22, a €25 minimum corresponds to more than 110 kg of cardboard a year. Many small shops ship less than that to Germany, so for them the saving is in choosing an operator with a low minimum.
Check your own numbers
Enter your kilograms in the calculator to see the cheapest operator for your mix. If you do not know your kilograms yet, start with how to work out your packaging weights.
EPR Germany Rep passes licence fees through at cost, with no markup, and places your volumes with whichever operator is cheapest for your materials, or with the one you name.
Sources
Every claim above comes from one of these. Primary law and the competent authority first; no provider marketing pages.
- EPR Germany Rep — dual-system licence rates dataset, read 21 September 2026 — read 2026-10-07
- VerpackDG § 7 — read 2026-10-07
- ZSVR help — System participation — read 2026-10-07
Razvan Toma is the founder of EPR Germany Rep and of EPR France Rep, the French sister service. He reads the statutes and the regulator's own guidance directly, and publishes what they say — including when it means telling a visitor they do not need to buy anything.
Razvan on LinkedIn ↗