Which items are affected by the reusable packaging law?

Reusability requirement - What does reusability mean and which packaging is affected?

From 2023, restaurants, bistros, cafés and delivery services that sell take-away meals or to-go drinks will be required by law to offer their customers at least one reusable packaging as an alternative to disposable plastic packaging. In the context of the reusable packaging law, this refers to certain reusable products used in the catering and retail sectors. However, not all items are automatically subject to the reusable packaging requirement. The reusable packaging law does not provide an exhaustive list of affected items. According to the information, the reusable packaging requirement includes all packaging that is partially or entirely made of plastic. Even paper cups and similar packaging that look like cardboard at first glance are usually coated with a plastic layer on the inside. Alternatives must be offered for such packaging.

Do ice cream cups have to be reused?

Ice cream cups are generally not directly affected by the reusable requirement. However, regulations and requirements may apply to ice cream cups under the reusable law, as they are rarely available without a plastic layer. If your ice cream cups have a plastic layer, you should offer reusable alternatives.

Reusable pizza packaging - Are pizza boxes reusable?

Pizza boxes are mainly used for transport. Pizza boxes often do not have a coating. Therefore, they are not subject to the direct reusable requirement. Nevertheless, it makes sense to use reusable packaging or environmentally friendly alternatives here too in order to minimize the environmental impact. What can reusable pizza packaging look like? Find reusable packaging examples here:

Overall, the reusable packaging law in the catering industry is mainly aimed at beverage cups and disposable packaging such as aluminum trays in order to reduce the use of disposable packaging. Ice cream cups and pizza boxes are not directly subject to the reusable packaging requirement, but they may be depending on the material composition. Relevant legal bases and the reusable packaging definition can be found in the Packaging Act (VerpackG), in particular in Section 6 Paragraph 4, which deals with the labeling of reusable packaging.