The mandatory reusability is a law enacted by the German government from January 1, 2023. It obliges caterers, depending on the size and number of employees in the establishment, to offer an additional reusable solution for food and beverages that may not cost more than the single-use alternative.
The law stipulates that a reusable variant must not be more expensive than the same product in disposable packaging. It is therefore not sufficient if you offer reusable packaging for sale.
Restaurants, bistros, cafΓ©s and delivery services that sell take-away food or to-go drinks will be obliged to offer their products in reusable packaging from 2023.Smaller stores (snack bars, late-night stores and kiosks) with a total of five employees or fewer and a store area of less than 80 square meters are exempt from the obligation. However, even these businesses must allow their customers to fill their own reusable containers, which they bring with them. Chains cannot make use of the exception for small businesses, even if the sales area of the individual outlets is less than 80 square meters. Since more than five employees work in the entire company, the exception does not apply to them.
Then you are only obligated to fill the containers that your customers bring with them. You don't have to join reusable packaging system , but you can still do it to promote environmental protection and attract new customers. You will find out later how this works with Vytal.
Then you are obligated to offer consumers a reusable solution for your food and beverages in addition to the existing disposable options.
According to the law on mandatory reuse, companies that meet these criteria must offer one of the following two options:
π You can buy plastic or glass containers and lend them to customers
π You can work with a provider like Vytal to offer customers an effective and cost-efficient reusable solution
You are required to offer professionally cleaned containers, even if they are returned dirty by your customers. However, this should not discourage you from using reusable containers, because a rinsed reusable container is just as hygienic as a plate that your guests would receive in a restaurant.It is important that reusable containers are dishwasher safe and can be cleaned at high temperatures.
If you do not comply with the Packaging Act, this represents a competitive advantage over competitors in the same market, because disposable packaging is often offered at a lower price and less costs and effort are incurred because no additional reusable option has to be introduced.In order to enable fair competition, compliance with the Reusable Packaging Act is therefore clearly monitored and violations are prosecuted under both administrative and civil law and, according to Section 36 of the Packaging Act, punished with fines of up to 100,000 euros. The authorities of the respective federal states are responsible for checking whether the Reusable Packaging Act is being complied with by restaurateurs and can intervene with the appropriate measures in the event of violations.
"The mandatory reusable offer for to-go and delivery meals is an opportunity for the catering industry to increase guest loyalty and promote the health of our planet. The EU has recognized that the future belongs to circular economy and reusable systems. With Vytal, we operate the leading technology platform for reusables, which efficiently and measurably effectively avoids single-use packaging. Our goal is to make reusable the standard for to-go consumption and delivery meals in Germany by 2025."
Tim Breker, Founder Vytal
Become a Vytal partner and increase your visibility. We will help you to attract new customers.
Save on packaging costs with every order. Pay a fair amount per Vytal usage.
There are no hidden costs with Vytal. We work without contract period and monthly basic fee.
Find the right container for your needs. Leak-proof and microwaveable.
As a digital system, we can measure benefits and savings.
We charge according to use.
Leak proof and heat insulating.
No deposit for you and your customers.
Increasing customer loyalty
Increasing customer loyalty
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