German Product Compliance for Marketplace Sellers: CE, WEEE, ElektroG & Odoo

Selling products on German marketplaces requires compliance with some of Europe's strictest product safety and environmental regulations. Amazon.de, Otto, Zalando, and Kaufland all verify seller compliance, and non-compliant products are delisted. This guide covers every major German product compliance requirement and shows how to manage them through Odoo ERP.

CE Marking (Conformite Europeenne)

What Is CE Marking?

CE marking indicates that a product meets EU health, safety, and environmental requirements. It's required for a wide range of products sold in the European Economic Area (EEA).

Product Categories Requiring CE Marking

• Electronics and electrical equipment — All devices connecting to power or using batteries
• Toys — All toys sold to children under 14
• Personal protective equipment — Safety glasses, helmets, gloves
• Medical devices — From thermometers to complex equipment
• Construction products — Building materials and components
• Machinery — Industrial and consumer machines
• Radio equipment — Bluetooth devices, Wi-Fi equipment, wireless products

What Marketplaces Check

• Amazon.de — Requires CE marking documentation; may request Declaration of Conformity (DoC)
• Otto — CE marking status checked during product listing review
• Zalando — Applies to accessories with safety components (e.g., children's eyewear)
• Kaufland — Requires CE compliance declaration for applicable categories

Tracking CE in Odoo

Create custom product attributes in Odoo:

• CE Required — Boolean field indicating whether CE marking is needed
• CE Declaration — Document attachment for Declaration of Conformity
• CE Testing Lab — Reference to the notified body that tested the product
• CE Marking Date — When CE conformity was established

ECOSIRE's Otto, Zalando, and Kaufland modules include CE compliance fields in product feeds to marketplaces.

WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)

What Is WEEE Registration?

WEEE registration is mandatory for any manufacturer or importer placing electrical or electronic equipment on the German market. It ensures proper recycling of electronic waste.

Who Needs WEEE Registration?

• Sellers of any product powered by electricity (mains, battery, or solar)
• Importers bringing electronic products into Germany
• Marketplace sellers offering electronics to German consumers

German WEEE Registration Process

1. Register with the EAR foundation (Stiftung Elektro-Altgerate Register) at stiftung-ear.de
2. Provide product category classification — WEEE categories 1-6
3. Submit annual volume reports — Weight of equipment placed on the German market
4. Arrange take-back — Either through a collective scheme or individual take-back system

WEEE on Marketplaces

Every German marketplace requires your WEEE registration number:

• Amazon.de — WEEE number must be entered in EPR settings; products without it face delisting
• Otto — WEEE registration verified during seller onboarding
• Kaufland — WEEE number required for all electrical product listings

Tracking WEEE in Odoo

• WEEE Registration Number — Stored at company level in Odoo settings
• WEEE Category — Product attribute for categories 1-6
• Annual Volume Tracking — Sales reports filtered by WEEE-applicable products for annual reporting

ElektroG and Battery Act

ElektroG (Electrical Equipment Act)

Germany's implementation of the WEEE Directive, ElektroG applies to:

• All electrical and electronic equipment with a voltage up to 1,500V DC or 1,000V AC
• Products containing electrical components even if they aren't primarily electronic

Battery Act (BattG)

If your products contain or are powered by batteries:

• Register with UBA (Umweltbundesamt) before selling
• Display battery type and chemistry on product listings
• Provide take-back information to customers
• Report annual battery volumes placed on the German market

Tracking in Odoo

Add product attributes:

• Contains Batteries — Boolean field
• Battery Type — Li-ion, NiMH, Alkaline, etc.
• Battery Registration Number — UBA registration reference
• Battery Weight — For annual volume reporting

GPSR (General Product Safety Regulation)

What Is GPSR?

The EU General Product Safety Regulation (2023/988) takes effect from December 2024 and requires:

• Responsible person in the EU — Contact name and address on product or packaging
• Product identification — Unique identifier (model, batch, serial number)
• Corrective actions channel — Way for consumers to report safety issues

Impact on German Marketplace Sellers

All German marketplaces now require GPSR compliance:

• Product listings must include the responsible person's contact information
• Non-EU sellers must appoint an EU-based authorized representative
• Marketplaces can delist products without GPSR compliance

Tracking GPSR in Odoo

• EU Responsible Person — Contact record in Odoo linked to products
• Product Identifier — Model number, batch code, or serial number fields
• Safety Contact — Customer-facing contact for safety concerns

ECOSIRE marketplace modules include GPSR fields in product feeds for Amazon.de, Otto, Zalando, and Kaufland.

Compliance Checklist by Product Category

| Product Type | CE | WEEE | BattG | GPSR | VerpackG | |-------------|----|----|------|------|---------| | Consumer Electronics | Yes | Yes | Usually | Yes | Yes | | Fashion & Clothing | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | | Toys & Children's Products | Yes | If electronic | If batteries | Yes | Yes | | Home & Furniture | Some | If electronic | If batteries | Yes | Yes | | Beauty & Cosmetics | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | | Sports Equipment | Some | If electronic | If batteries | Yes | Yes | | Kitchen Appliances | Yes | Yes | Usually | Yes | Yes |

Frequently Asked Questions

What product compliance is required to sell on German marketplaces? Key requirements include CE marking (for applicable categories), WEEE registration (for electronics), VerpackG (packaging law for all sellers), GPSR (product safety for all products), and BattG (for battery-containing products). Each marketplace — Amazon.de, Otto, Zalando, Kaufland — verifies compliance before allowing product listings.

Do I need WEEE registration to sell electronics on Amazon.de? Yes. Amazon.de requires a valid WEEE registration number (from the EAR foundation) for all electrical and electronic products. Products without WEEE registration are delisted.

What is GPSR and when does it apply? The EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) requires all products sold in the EU to have an identified EU responsible person, product identification, and a safety contact. It applies to all product categories and all German marketplaces enforce it.

How does Odoo track product compliance for German marketplaces? Odoo product attributes store CE status, WEEE registration numbers, battery information, GPSR responsible person details, and VerpackG data. ECOSIRE's marketplace modules include these fields in product feeds sent to each platform.

Next Steps

Product compliance is non-negotiable for German marketplace selling. Configure compliance tracking in Odoo with ECOSIRE's German marketplace modules, or contact us for a compliance audit of your product catalog before listing on German platforms.