{"id":329797,"date":"2026-10-26T16:44:59","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T15:44:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essmann.com\/prepackaged-goods-regulation-fpackv-information\/"},"modified":"2026-10-26T18:03:32","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T17:03:32","slug":"prepackaged-goods-regulation-fpackv-information","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essmann.com\/en\/prepackaged-goods-regulation-fpackv-information\/","title":{"rendered":"Prepackaged Goods Regulation (FPackV) \u2014 What Fillers Need to Know About Checkweighers, Tolerances, and the \u212e Mark"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One gram of chocolate can amount to millions in the annual bottom line. The German calibration authorities<\/a> illustrate this with a model calculation: If a factory produces 2.5 million bars a day for 200 days a year and each 100-gram bar is one gram short, the shortfall amounts to a merchandise value of 7.45 million euros, assuming a retail price of 1.49 euros. For filling plants, this presents a two-sided challenge: They must comply with the prescribed fill quantities while also wanting to avoid unnecessary overfilling.<\/p>\n\n

The Prepackaged Goods Regulation specifies which deviations are permitted and how businesses must monitor their fill quantities. At ESSMANN | Scales & Automation <\/strong>, we support <\/strong>you in selecting and operating the right weighing technology. This article explains the most important requirements for prepackaged goods with nominal fill quantities ranging from 5 g or 5 ml to 10 kg or 10 l and addresses key special cases.<\/p>\n\n

What does the Prepackaged Goods Regulation cover?<\/h3>\n\n

The Prepackaged Goods Ordinance (FPackV)<\/strong> of November 18, 2020, has been in effect since December 1, 2020, and has completely replaced the old Prepackaged Goods Ordinance from 1981. It specifies the requirements of the Measurement and Calibration Act (MessEG) regarding prepackaged goods. You may also come across the abbreviations FPVO<\/strong> and FertigPackV<\/strong> in common usage; the official abbreviation is FPackV.<\/p>\n\n

According to the German Prepackaged Goods Act (MessEG), a prepackaged item<\/strong> is any package that is filled and sealed in the absence of the purchaser and whose contents can only be altered by opening the package or making a noticeable change to it. The FPackV applies to prepackaged goods with both equal and unequal nominal fill quantities<\/strong>, to measuring containers, and to other sales units. Special regulations apply to larger packages. Prepackaged foodstuffs weighing more than 10 kg or 10 l are also covered: Section 16 of the FPackV refers, among other things, to the filling quantity requirements of Section 34. The scope of application for larger packages is therefore not limited to goods such as coal, paint, or fertilizer.<\/p>\n\n

For food products, the EU Food Information Regulation <\/strong>also applies <\/strong>. Directive 76\/211\/EEC<\/strong> forms the European basis for the harmonized rules governing prepackaged goods with the same nominal quantity.<\/p>\n\n

How much can be missing from a prepackaged item?<\/h3>\n\n

The FPackV operates on the principle of the mean value<\/strong> and two tolerance limits<\/strong>. For prepackages with the same nominal fill quantity, three rules generally apply at the time of manufacture (Section 9 FPackV):<\/p>\n\n

    \n
  1. The average value determined in accordance with the prescribed test procedure must not be less than the nominal fill quantity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. No more than 2% of the packages may exceed the permissible negative deviation (TU).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. No package may exceed the maximum negative deviation specified in \u00a7 9, paragraph 4.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

    For prepackages manufactured outside the EU, \u00a7 9(2) specifies, by way of exception, the date of placing on the market.<\/p>\n\n

    Nominal capacity in g or ml<\/th>Permissible Negative Deviation TU<\/th>Maximum negative deviation for a single package<\/th><\/tr>
    5 to 50<\/td>9 %<\/td>18%<\/td><\/tr>
    50 to 100<\/td>4.5 g\/mL<\/td>9 g\/mL<\/td><\/tr>
    100 to 200<\/td>4.5%<\/td>9 %<\/td><\/tr>
    200 to 300<\/td>9 g\/mL<\/td>18 g\/mL<\/td><\/tr>
    300 to 500<\/td>3 %<\/td>6%<\/td><\/tr>
    500 to 1,000<\/td>15 g\/mL<\/td>30 g\/mL<\/td><\/tr>
    1,000 to 10,000<\/td>1.5%<\/td>3 %<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

    Deviations calculated from percentages must be rounded up separately for both columns of the table to 0.1 g and 0.1 ml, respectively. Source: \u00a7 9, paras. 3 and 4, FPackV.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

    An example from the calibration authorities illustrates this: For a nominal fill quantity of 250 g, the average must be at least 250 g. Individual packages may contain up to 9 g less, but no more than 2% (up to 18 g) less. No single package may weigh less than 232 g. The 2% requirement cannot be directly applied to any arbitrarily small sample. Recognized statistical methods are required for sampling. The official test plans are set forth in Annex 3 of the FPackV.<\/p>\n\n

    The average-value rule protects consumers as a whole and ensures fair competition. The tolerance limits prevent individual customers from receiving a package that is significantly underfilled. For prepackaged goods with varying nominal fill quantities\u2014such as prepackaged cheese or fresh meat with individual weights\u2014fixed tolerance limits between 1 g and 10 g apply (Section 32 of the Prepackaged Goods Regulation (FPackV)).<\/p>\n\n

    For filling, this means: The smaller the variation in your system, the closer you can set the average value to the nominal fill quantity. If your variation is significant, you\u2019ll have to overfill to ensure compliance with the 2% rule. This overfilling is money down the drain, disappearing into packages month after month.<\/p>\n\n

    What does the \u212e on the packaging mean?<\/h3>\n\n

    The small \u212e next to the fill quantity is a voluntary declaration by the manufacturer. It confirms that the manufacturer complies with regulations regarding fill quantity, labeling, as well as inspection and documentation. The symbol has nothing to do with \u201cweighing in,\u201d even though this interpretation persists.<\/p>\n\n

    The \u212e symbol facilitates distribution within the EU because no deviating national quantity control rules may be required for the harmonized requirements. Regulatory inspections remain possible, including within the distribution chain. The symbol is intended for specified nominal quantities ranging from 5 g or 5 ml to 10 kg or 10 l. It must be at least 3 mm high and appear in the same field of view as the nominal quantity indication (Section 11 FPackV).<\/p>\n\n

    What are the obligations of manufacturers and fillers?<\/h3>\n\n

    Anyone who manufactures, imports, or places on the market prepackaged goods of the same nominal quantity labeled by weight or volume must ensure that the required measurements or checks are performed during filling and that the results are recorded (Section 41 FPackV). The following applies:<\/p>\n\n