Netherlands EPR (Verpact) Guide for Shopify Sellers
Last updated: 12 July 2026
What is Verpact?
The Netherlands' packaging EPR rules generally require anyone who places packaged goods on the Dutch market to register and report packaging data. Verpact runs the collective system most sellers use to meet this obligation.
Who is generally obligated
If your Shopify store ships packaged goods to consumers in the Netherlands — including as a foreign, non-Dutch distance seller — you are generally treated as a producer in scope. Shipping and mailer packaging used to deliver an online order is generally included, alongside the product's own packaging.
The weight threshold — what it actually means
Dutch rules set a de-minimis threshold, measured in kilograms of packaging placed on the Dutch market per calendar year — see the exact figure in the official sources below. Many small foreign sellers fall under it, but that isn't the same as having no obligations at all: below the threshold, an annual declaration and financial contribution generally aren't due, yet record-keeping duties that document how you arrived at your figures generally still apply, and some packaging types can carry separate duties regardless of total weight. Confirm your specific position against the official source below before relying on it.
What a Verpact declaration covers
A Verpact declaration reports packaging weight by official material category, for the calendar year. The material categories a declaration can cover are:
- Glass (Glas)
- Paper & cardboard (Papier en karton)
- Plastic (Kunststof)
- Bioplastic (Biokunststof)
- Aluminium (Aluminium)
- Other metals, incl. steel/tinplate (Overige metalen)
- Wood (Hout)
- Beverage cartons (Drankenkartons)
- Other material types, e.g. stone, textile (Andere materiaalsoorten)
- Composite — split by constituent material (not an official category)
How Tarra helps
Tarra reads your Netherlands-shipped Shopify orders and your packaging profiles, and totals the weight per official Verpact material category shown above. It generates a declaration-ready CSV you can use for your Verpact filing, or keep as your supporting calculation if you fall under the threshold. Tarra is a data-preparation tool only: it does not register you, does not determine whether the threshold applies to you, and does not submit anything to Verpact or any authority. You review the totals, confirm your position, approve the report, and file it yourself if required.
FAQ
Do I need to register with Verpact if I only sell online from outside the Netherlands?
Generally, yes, once your packaging volumes reach the threshold — foreign distance sellers shipping packaged goods to Dutch consumers are generally treated as producers regardless of where they're established. Confirm your specific situation against the official source below.
What happens if my volumes are under the threshold?
Being under the threshold generally means no annual declaration or contribution is due for that packaging — but it doesn't mean no obligations at all. You generally still need to keep records showing how you calculated that you're under it. See the official source below for the current figure and details.
Does Tarra submit my declaration to Verpact for me?
No. Tarra prepares your per-material totals as a CSV. You review it, confirm your position, approve it, and file it yourself if you're required to.
What materials does a Verpact declaration cover?
The official material categories listed above, under "What a Verpact declaration covers."
Official sources
- Registration / declaration portal (Verpact): https://www.verpact.nl/en/registration-verpact
- Primary official source: https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0035711/2023-07-01
- You'll be asked for your Verpact participant number (optional) when you register.
Deadlines
- Verpact annual declaration (previous calendar year) — due March 31, every year.
Packaging below 50,000 kg placed on the Dutch market in a calendar year may fall under the de-minimis threshold, with no annual declaration or contribution due; record-keeping duties (7-year retention of the supporting calculation) still apply, and single-use plastic items may carry separate duties regardless of the threshold.
This guide is general information, not legal advice, and requirements can change — always confirm current rules with the official source linked below. Tarra prepares your packaging data and generates the report file; you review, approve, and file it yourself. Tarra never submits anything to an authority on your behalf.