Duales System Deutschland AG (D-51145 Köln), Germany´s packaging waste company, has succeeded in winning around 1,800 new licensees since the Packaging Ordinance Amendment came into force. As reported by the company at its balance sheet press conference, this shows that the Packaging Ordinance Amendment is certainly having an effect. In 1998, sales amounted to EUR 2,13bn and were therefore on a par with those recorded in the previous year. At the same time, expenses were reduced substantially. Net income was around EUR 67m, giving a positive result for the year. With retained earnings of EUR 95m and EUR 28m in other accruals, adequate collateral was available for the licence fee reduction of 9.5 % which came into effect in January. As a result of this reduction, the average cost of the Green Dot for consumers dropped from EUR 25 to EUR 22,75 per year at the beginning of 1999.

“The Packaging Ordinance Amendment which was introduced last August imposes more or less the same obligations on individual compliers and system participants”, explained Wolfram Brück, ceo of the Dual System. “Now that the big question is ´individual complier or system participant´, I am convinced that many firms will opt for the service offered by our company.” The new customers won since August are primarily from the sectors service packaging, beverages and textiles.

READER SERVICE: DSD Annual Report 1998 (English): PIE-No. 44107.