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Container Deposits

Automate German Pfand Deposits on Your Shopify Store

Comply with Germany's Pfandpflicht regulations by automatically adding bottle and can deposit fees at checkout. Magical Fees handles the calculation so you don't have to.

Full fee schedule →

Below we cover what german pfand deposits means for Shopify merchants, how Magical Fees & Tariffs handles the setup, and links to setup guides and detailed articles.

What merchants get wrong

Merchants selling into Germany often miss the January 2024 expansion: Einweg (single-use) deposits now apply to milk-based beverages—flavored milk, plant-based milk drinks—in addition to water, soda, beer, and energy drinks. The distinction between Einweg and Mehrweg trips people up: Einweg is a flat €0.25 per container; Mehrweg varies by container type (€0.08 for beer bottles, €0.15 for water bottles, €1.50 for crates). If you sell dairy or plant-based drinks in single-use containers to German customers, you must charge the deposit.

See it in action

Watch how Magical Fees & Tariffs handles german pfand deposits on a live Shopify store.

How to Add German Pfand Deposits to Shopify

How it works

Getting german pfand deposits running with Magical Fees & Tariffs takes just a few steps.

Install Magical Product Fees

Install Magical Product Fees from the Shopify App Store and activate the free trial to begin configuring fees on your store.

  1. 1

    Install from the Shopify App Store

    Visit the Magical Product Fees listing on the Shopify App Store and click "Add app" to install it on your store. The free trial gives you time to configure and test before committing.

  2. 2

    Open the app and start a new fee

    From your Shopify admin, go to Apps and open Magical Product Fees. Click "Create fee" to start setting up your first fee rule.

  3. 3

    Choose your fee method

    Select the Function Method (recommended for most stores — fees appear as part of a product bundle at checkout) or the Block Method (fees appear as separate line items — preferred for stores that need discounts to apply to fees).

How to Add Pfand Deposits on Shopify

Add German Pfand deposits to your Shopify store in three steps: install Magical Fees, create Pfand deposit rules with the correct amount per container type, then assign and test.

  1. 1

    Install Magical Product Fees

    Install Magical Product Fees on your Shopify store. The free trial gives you time to configure your fees and test before committing.

  2. 2

    Create Pfand deposit rules per container type

    Create Pfand deposit rules with the correct amount per container type (25¢ single-use plastic/cans, 8–15¢ reusable glass). Target beverage products sold in Germany.

  3. 3

    Test with a sample order

    Assign the Pfand rules to your beverage products, place a test order, and verify the deposit appears correctly at checkout.

Setup guide

Step-by-step instructions to set up german pfand deposits on your store.

setup

How to Charge Pfand Fees on Shopify (Germany Edition)

Learn how to charge Pfand bottle deposit fees on Shopify, comply with Germany’s Packaging Act, and make reporting fees easier with an app.

Further reading

Dive deeper with step-by-step guides and detailed articles about german pfand deposits.

help

How to charge Pfand bottle deposit fees with Magical Fees

To add a Pfand bottle deposit fee, create a fixed fee for the bottles or containers you sell. Follow these steps:In your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Apps and open Magical Product Fees.

setup

How to Charge Pfand Fees on Shopify (Germany Edition)

Learn how to charge Pfand bottle deposit fees on Shopify, comply with Germany’s Packaging Act, and make reporting fees easier with an app.

More about container deposits

Other container deposits regions

U.S. Bottle Deposits→Canadian Container Deposits→Nordic Pant Deposits→All container deposits→

Fee schedules & compliance

German Pfand (Deposit-Return System)

Germany · 4 jurisdictionsFee schedule →

Browse all regulations →

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Ready to get started?

Install Magical Fees & Tariffs on Shopify and see the difference today.

Install Magical Fees & Tariffs on Shopify