Regulations Glossary & Index

Key terms

Definitions for terms used across the regulations database. Links point to relevant categories or regulations.

Bottle bill

A law that requires a refundable deposit on beverage containers (e.g. bottles, cans). Common in US states and many other countries. See Container deposits.

CRV (California Redemption Value)

California’s bottle deposit program; refundable amount (e.g. 5¢ or 10¢) per eligible container. See U.S. State Bottle Deposit Laws.

De minimis

A threshold below which imports are exempt from duty or tax (e.g. US §321, EU €150). Changes to de minimis affect when merchants must collect duties or VAT at checkout. See Tariffs and Surcharges.

DRS (Deposit Return Scheme)

A system that charges a refundable deposit on beverage containers at sale and refunds it on return. Used in the EU, UK, and elsewhere; equivalent to a bottle bill. See Container deposits.

Eco-contribution (visible fee)

A fee shown at checkout to fund recycling or EPR schemes (e.g. WEEE, batteries, packaging). Often mandatory to display to the consumer. See Eco-participation fees.

EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility)

Policy approach where producers (and sometimes importers) are responsible for the end-of-life of their products, often through fees that fund collection and recycling. See Eco-participation fees and Recycling fees.

Excise tax

A tax on specific goods (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, sweetened beverages, etc.) often included in the price or collected at sale. Rates vary by jurisdiction. See Excise taxes.

Fee transparency / junk fees

Rules that require businesses to disclose fees clearly (e.g. US FTC Junk Fee Rule, California SB 478). Restrict hidden or surprise surcharges. See U.S. FTC Junk Fee Rule and State junk fee laws.

GST / VAT

Value-added tax (VAT) or goods and services tax (GST) on sales. For e-commerce, cross-border rules (e.g. EU OSS/IOSS, UK VAT) determine when and where to collect. See EU VAT for e-commerce (OSS/IOSS).

IOSS / OSS

EU schemes for VAT on e-commerce: Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) for imports under €150; One-Stop Shop (OSS) for cross-border B2C sales within the EU. Sellers register once and report VAT in one return. See EU VAT for e-commerce (OSS/IOSS).

Non-regulated fee

A fee not required by law that you add as a rule to recover costs or manage margins (e.g. cold pack, oversized handling). When the rule is on, the app applies it at checkout. See Magical Fees use cases.

Pant

Nordic term for the refundable deposit on beverage containers (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland). See Nordic Pant deposits.

Pfand

German term for the refundable deposit on beverage containers (bottles, cans). See German Pfand.

Plastic Packaging Tax (UK)

UK tax on plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content (£217.85/tonne). Paid by producers and importers; may be passed through. See UK Plastic Packaging Tax.

PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation)

EU regulation setting targets for packaging recycling and reuse (2025–2030). Affects e-commerce packaging and EPR obligations. See Eco-participation fees.

Regulated fee

A fee required or governed by law (e.g. bottle deposits, excise taxes, eco-fees). The regulations database tracks these by jurisdiction. Magical Fees helps you apply them at checkout.

SDIL (Soft Drinks Industry Levy)

UK tax on sugary soft drinks (manufacturers/importers); often reflected in shelf price or as a visible charge. See UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy.

Statiegeld

Dutch term for the refundable deposit on beverage containers. See Netherlands Statiegeld.

Payment method surcharge

A fee added when the customer pays by a specific method (e.g. credit card, PayPal, Klarna). Rules vary by country: banned in the UK and EU (PSD2) for card payments; in Australia, capped at the merchant's cost of acceptance; in the US and Canada, generally permitted with disclosure. See Surcharges and the per-country regulation pages (e.g. US, Canada, UK, Australia, EU member states).

Surcharge

A fee added at checkout (e.g. credit card surcharge, bag fee, delivery fee). May be mandatory or optional; disclosure rules vary by jurisdiction. See Surcharges.

Tariff / import duty

A tax on imported goods. Rates depend on origin, product, and trade agreements (e.g. US Section 301 on certain Chinese goods). Merchants may pass through as a checkout surcharge. See Tariffs.

WEEE

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. EU and UK rules require producers to fund collection and recycling of electronics; some schemes involve visible eco-contributions at point of sale. See Eco-participation fees.