compliance teamThe ten German dual systems, and how to choose one
Step 1
List the ten authorised systems
Step 2
Estimate volumes by fraction
Step 3
Compare tariff and invoicing terms
Step 4
Record the contract and its term
| Control | Evidence to retain |
|---|---|
| Scope | Entity, product, channel, stream and source |
| External action | Version, date, authorised filer and issued receipt |
| Maintenance | Source data, approval, invoice and next deadline |
One contract covers the country
Ten authorised dual systems organise the collection and recovery of household packaging in Germany: BellandVision, Der Grüne Punkt, EKO-PUNKT, Interzero Recycling Alliance, Landbell, Noventiz, PreZero, Reclay, Recycling Dual and ZENTEK. A contract with any one of them covers the whole country, and there is no need to split by region or material.
They compete on price, and the central agency is expressly barred from advising producers on which system to choose or what it should cost. That is why no official tariff exists and why every figure you see quoted is a market observation rather than a published rate.
The market is not what it was
Provisional market shares for lightweight packaging in the third quarter of 2026 put PreZero at 22.6 per cent, ZENTEK at 18.3, Interzero at 13.8, BellandVision at 13.3 and Der Grüne Punkt at 11.7. The historically dominant system is no longer the leader.
These figures are published as provisional and are re-issued quarterly, so treat them as a snapshot. Market share is a poor proxy for service quality on a small account; it mostly tells you which systems have the volume to be flexible on terms.
What actually differs between contracts
For a small seller the meaningful differences are the entry price, the quantity a prepaid licence covers, how mid-year adjustments are handled and how the year-end reconciliation works. For a larger account they are the tariff by fraction, the invoicing route and whether the system will identify volumes per client under one representative account.
Where an authorised representative concludes the contract in its own name, who receives the invoice becomes a commercial question to settle before signature rather than a surprise afterwards. Ask for it in writing.
Conclusion
Scope comes before a form. Connect the legal entity, its German establishment, the product, the sales channel and the EPR stream to the rule that actually applies.
Evidence must remain traceable. Keep source data, versions, approvals, filings, receipts and every record issued by an external body.
Third-party decisions are never guaranteed. The packaging register, the central agency, the dual systems and the marketplaces control their own procedures, timing and decisions.