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LUCID number on Amazon, eBay, Kaufland and OTTO - where to add it and when can a marketplace block a sale?

If you sell goods to Germany and introduce packaging there with your product or shipment, the starting point is simple: you first check whether you are subject to registration with the LUCID, and only then do you add the number to the marketplace. The German ZSVR register indicates that if you you commercially distribute packaged goods in Germany, you must be registered with LUCID and registration is free of charge. The ZSVR also emphasises that this obligation applies to, among others. importers, distributors, mail order companies and online shops, and if packaging is covered by the mandatory participation system, registration alone is not enough - you still have to enter into a contract with the dual system and report packaging volumes.

Where to add the LUCID number on Amazon and eBay

At Amazon The LUCID number for German EPR Packaging is added at account level, and Amazon's official help indicates Account Health page as the place to transfer the registration number. In addition, Amazon's official message to sellers says that the number should be sent in the Seller Central, and non-compliance may result in bids being blocked. At eBay The path is described very precisely: My eBay → Account → Business Information → Business details → Add next to Lucid ID field, and then saving the number. eBay makes it clear that the number is added at account level, not for each individual offer, and that the platform regularly validates this data.

Where to add the LUCID number for Kaufland and OTTO

At Kaufland Global Marketplace LUCID number for sales to Kaufland.de forms part of Seller Portal, and the official onboarding manual indicates the paths Settings → Shop settings → Company details and Settings → Shop settings → EPR compliance. Importantly, with the German channel, Kaufland requires not only the LUCID number itself, but also the proof of participation in the dual system. In the case of OTTO Market The official onboarding guide indicates that information on legal requirements, including system participation of your packaging, shall be completed in the section Regulations and Guidelines in the Partner Portal. In OTTO's publicly available materials, it is this stage that has been identified as the place to enter the data required to trigger sales.

When a marketplace can block a sale

Here the differences between the platforms are already very specific. Amazon officially communicated that bids that do not comply with the German EPR Packaging may be blocked, and retailers were advised to register in advance, as the registration and number validation process itself can take time. eBay writes even more sharply: as a marketplace operator, it is legally obliged to verify compliance and to apply restrictions to non-compliant sellers; it explicitly points out that without complying with the obligations a seller will not be able to list on ebay.de, and in the absence of a LUCID number its selling privileges for the German market will be restricted. Kaufland states explicitly that dealers without a valid registration number may no longer sell the compulsory products through Kaufland.de, and the respective bids will be hidden. In the case of OTTO I have not found the same explicit wording in the public materials about the subsequent „blocking” as on Amazon, eBay and Kaufland, but the official onboarding guide shows that the addition of the section Regulations and Guidelines is the element required to connect and start selling, so in practice the absence of this data acts as a barrier to entry for go-live.

Frequently asked questions

Is the LUCID number alone enough to sell to Germany?

Not always. If packaging is covered by the mandatory participation system, you still have to enter into an agreement with the dual system and report packaging volumes after registration in LUCID.

Is the LUCID number added to each bid separately?

Usually no. On eBay, the number is added at account level in the field Lucid ID, Amazon requires it by Seller Central / Account Health, Kaufland by Seller Portal, and OTTO by section Regulations and Guidelines during onboarding.

Will the marketplace itself handle the registration with LUCID for the seller?

No. The ZSVR indicates that it is the trader who must register with LUCID as a producer within the meaning of German packaging law. The Marketplace can require a number and verify compliance, but does not replace the registration obligation.

Can a missing number block sales on the German version of the platform only?

eBay has officially indicated that sellers will not be able to list on ebay.de, and the regulations also apply to sales to buyers with a German address. Amazon and Kaufland also link non-compliance to the blocking or concealment of listings for the German marketplace

You are in doubt as to where to correctly add LUCID number on Amazon, eBay, Kaufland or OTTO or should your shop even be registered? Contact us Ekopro Group will help you to assess your obligations, sort out your registration, check the risk of sales blocking and answer questions related to BDO, LUCID and sales to Germany. Go to „Contact” and make use of our support.