Useful Information
1D Barcode or 2D Code? Focus on current developments.
What to consider when labelling one-way beverage packaging
Packaging labelling may be on the verge of change: A GS1 Germany initiative aims to allow manufacturers to use 2D codes (such as QR or Data Matrix) as an alternative to the traditional 1D barcode.
While this should offer new digital opportunities – such as more data in less space – it also raises important questions for deposit-bearing one-way beverage packaging and their return within the DPG system.
Deposit Systems across Europe: Cornerstone of the Circular Economy
The German deposit system DPG Deutsche Pfandsystem GmbH has turned 18 years old – and has therefore completed the step to adulthood! It was one of the first deposit systems to be established, and it is considered one of the most successful ones in Europe. The DPG scheme was a pioneer in the implementation of a new principle devised by a young Swede, put into action for the first time in a large European market by the then German Minister for the Environment, Klaus Töpfer. Following this proposition, it was no longer just the authorities that were to ensure better waste management, but also the manufacturers themselves. He called it “extended producer responsibility” (EPR) and coined a new guiding principle for the sector. A short time later, at the United Nations Conference in Rio in 1992, the precautionary and polluter pays principle was discussed internationally for the first time.
Industry Organization Formed: The European Deposit Return Systems Association (EDRSA)
Europe's leading deposit return systems operators and industry stakeholders have officially launched the European Deposit Return Systems Association (EDRSA), a new association dedicated to advancing best practices, policy development, and collaboration in the field of deposit return systems (DRS) within Europe. The DPG, operator of the nationwide German one-way deposit system, is one of the founding members and was also elected as a board member.
Implementing EU requirements at national level
As has been expected, on December 16, 2024, the European Council officially adopted the version of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) that had previously been approved by the European Parliament in April. The new 71 articles of the regulation set ambitious reuse targets, tighten the requirements for single-use packaging and oblige market players to reduce packaging to the necessary minimum.
The Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) and its role in the DPG system
The bottle turns a few times to the left, then to the right, and is finally transported inside on the RVM’s conveyor belt – and in those RVMs with the latest technology, the bottles do not even need to be rotated! For most people this is an everyday situation when they return their deposit. The DPG logo and the barcode with the corresponding number on the label pave the way for the packaging to enter the RVM. A compartment opens, the bottle is swallowed and finally you can hear a crunch. Once scanned and registered, the bottle is crumpled up for easier transport and has entered a phase in the recycling system. But what does the mysterious number under the barcode on the label mean?