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A ZENTEK Group initiative

Volume reporting

Although it is a legal obligation, volume reporting nevertheless has clear advantages for your company, allowing you to establish transparency regarding your use of packaging, maintain cost control and document your sustainable practices.

Volume reporting can be so much more than an obligation:

  • Insight into packaging decisions from the planning stage onwards – legal obligations as a source of innovation
  • Regular monitoring instead of year-end stress
  • Highlights sustainability performance – both internally and in external communications
  • Automation frees up resources – for management, design and strategic decisions

What is volume reporting?

Volume reporting is both a legal requirement and a management tool. It provides proof of the packaging you have actually put into circulation – whether it be transport packaging (B2B, not subject to participation in Germany’s dual waste collection system, but take-back and documentation obligations apply) or sales packaging (subject to system participation with double reporting in the dual system and LUCID ).
Recording packaging volumes correctly

Goals of volume reporting

The aim of volume reporting is to transparently and reliably record the volumes produced, providing a basis for the accurate planning, monitoring and optimisation of production processes.

Fulfil obligations

You’ll be compliant with the requirements of the German Packaging Act (VerpackG).

Control costs

Planned volumes provide budgeting certainty; actual volumes avoid additional payments.

Provide transparency

You’ll know exactly where which packaging is used.

Demonstrate sustainability

By reporting your volumes, you’ll make your commitment to the packaging cycle transparent, sending an important signal to partners and investors.

Recording and reporting packaging volumes correctly

To ensure that participation in the dual system is carried out correctly and reporting is transparent, it’s important to differentiate between sales packaging and transport packaging. This distinction determines which volumes must be reported and which obligations apply in the packaging cycle.

Sales packaging

Sales packaging is handled by private end consumers, so it is subject to dual-system participation. In this case, you must report your volumes twice: once to your dual-system operator and once in the LUCID packaging register – with identical information about material type and volume per material type in kilos (e.g. 1,000 kg paper). Included in the reports:

Planned volumes

Planned volumes are the volumes of packaging that you must forecast and report at the beginning of the year for the current year.

Actual volumes

Actual volumes are the volumes of packaging that have been generated in reality and must be reported.

Adjustments

If deviations become apparent, the planned volumes can be adjusted during the course of the year.

Zero-sum volumes

Even if no packaging is placed on the market during a given period, a zero-sum volume notification is still required.

Transport packaging

Transport packaging protects products when they are shipped between producers, retailers and logistics providers. As transport packaging is not handled by end customers, it does not have to participate in the dual system for waste collection, but it is subject to take-back obligations. Volumes of transport packaging must be documented and reported – usually via internal systems or with the support of service providers.

Volume reporting in connection with the PPWR

Under the new EU regulations, the volume reporting requirements are set to increase significantly. In addition to the volume figures themselves, details such as material types, recycled content and recyclability will also need to be recorded and reported. This data will be fed into central systems and, in future, will be comparable across the EU.

The basis for these changes is the upcoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation(PPWR).

Data recording

The reports are becoming more detailed – in future, additional information will have to be recorded alongside volumes and materials.

  • Material types (including labels, closures, adhesives, etc.)
  • Recycled content and reusability
  • Compliance with design for recycling requirements

EU-wide reporting obligation

In future, uniform EU-wide reporting obligations will apply. All market participants must record and report standardised packaging data via central EU databases or interoperable systems, for example.

  • Central EU databases
  • Interoperable systems
  • Uniform standards for all market participants

Easy comparability

In future, your reports will be more than just proof of compliance – they will become a differentiating factor. EU-wide harmonisation will make the data comparable for authorities, markets and, in some cases, stakeholders, too.

  • Authorities can use the data for checks and monitoring
  • Markets benefit from transparency about packaging flows
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The PPWR creates a single EU framework.

Harmonised rules

No more patchworks of national regulations – the same requirements for all member states.

Less effort

Standardised reports and formats will reduce bureaucracy and save time.

More certainty

Legal certainty in all EU countries thanks to clear and binding standards.

In summary:

Everything that is already possible today through volume reporting – controlling costs, providing transparency, documenting sustainability – will be further enhanced by the PPWR. In particular, transport packaging, which was previously only documented, will now be subject to full reporting obligations.

Sales packaging

will have to meet the following criteria in future:
  • More accurate data, comparable across the EU
  • More detail (e.g. recycled content)
  • New metrics for the EU’s 2030/2040 targets
  • Reporting data as a strategic marketing and sustainability tool

Transport packaging

becomes the focus of the following changes:
  • Far more reporting obligations than previously
  • Standardised recording of volumes and materials
  • Proof of recyclability and recycled content
  • Active reporting
Learn more about the PPWR

Case studies

Well-organised volume reporting makes all the difference. In the case of sales packaging, planned and actual volumes give planning certainty, avoid additional payments and optimise cost control. At the same time, transport packaging records provide full transparency and evidence of sustainable recirculation.

Transport packaging

A producer of cooking appliances and heating technology delivers cookers and heating equipment to specialist retailers on pallets, in sturdy cardboard boxes and with protective materials. This packaging is classed as transport packaging. It is not subject to participation in the dual system, but it must be taken back, recycled and documented in volume records.

Benefit for the producer:
Structured volume reporting allows him to maintain transparency regarding material usage (wooden pallets, cardboard boxes or plastic film) and logistics costs, and to demonstrate to trading/business partners that the packaging is being recycled.

Sales packaging

A cosmetics company plans to produce 600,000 face cream jars, 1.2 million shampoo bottles and 300,000 boxes for gift sets during the year. These volumes are reported as planned volumes and form the basis for the licence fees that the producer pays to the dual system. The more accurate and timely the reports are, the more precisely the producer can calculate costs and avoid additional payments or fines.

Typical changes occur over the course of the year: a new skin care line becomes a bestseller, while an older range of shampoos sells more slowly. There are also seasonal peaks, e.g. elaborately packaged gift sets at Christmas. At the end of the year, the producer must report the actual volumes and compare them with the planned volumes. Without ongoing management, significant deviations could occur.

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At the start of the year

Analysis of the previous year’s figures, targeted questions about new products or seasonal promotions.

During the year

Check-ins and tips, e.g. “The new line is outperforming expectations; we should adjust the planned volumes to avoid additional payments.”

At year end

Thanks to this close support, planned and actual volumes are almost identical – deviations remain minimal and no additional payments are required.

Result

The cosmetics manufacturer benefits from budget and planning certainty and documents its responsibility for the cycle transparently.
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Our services to support your volume reporting

We see volume reporting as more than just an obligation – it’s a service that offers real added value. Our sales team will help you to minimise deviations and improve the efficiency of your processes:

Data-driven planning

Together, we will work out realistic planned volumes, giving particular consideration to economic fluctuations.

Monitoring

We will perform regular checks to determine whether volumes are still correct.

Advice

We will suggest ways of optimising packaging and improving material efficiency.

Digitalised reporting tools

Our online volume reporting tools make it easy for you to record your data transparently – saving you time, reducing errors and providing planning certainty.

We’re here to help you

With our support, volume reporting becomes less of a burden and more of a tool for boosting cost certainty, transparency and sustainability.

We clarify your responsibilities in the circular economy.

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Support you can rely on.
You want to be certain that processes are effective, rules are followed and help is available whenever you need it. Our transparent, reliable and practical services are designed to satisfy all of these needs.
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Expertise

We continuously analyse and adapt to the latest requirements and market developments. We help companies understand which requirements are relevant to them now and which will be in the future.
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Advice

We take a practical approach to resolving individual issues, developing specific recommended actions that combine legal certainty with cost-effectiveness.
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Legal certainty

All processes – from packaging design to volume reporting – are based on current requirements. Companies act in compliance with the rules at all times.
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Implementation

From dual-system participation to reporting, in addition to planning measures, we also provide operational support until quantifiable results are achieved.
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Efficiency

Complex processes are structured, digitally supported and clearly documented. This reduces internal effort and creates space for core business activities.
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