Service packaging (Serviceverpackung)

Verified on 2026-09-01

Packaging filled only at the point of sale to the end customer (e.g. bakery bags, coffee-to-go cups). It comes with a special rule: the seller can buy pre-licensed stock and thereby shift the obligation to the upstream distributor. This exception does not automatically apply to standard shipping cartons in online retail – a common misconception.

Legal information, not legal advice. The official sources linked in the country guides prevail.