Germany plans to scrap paper till receipts from 2028
Digital receipts will become the norm, while shops above a turnover threshold must use electronic till systems.
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The German cabinet has approved a bill that would remove the obligation to provide a paper till receipt from 2028. Shops would then have to make a digital receipt available, but customers could still ask for paper.
The proposed rules make digital receipts the standard for retail transactions. A receipt could, for example, be made available through a QR code on the till screen, a download link or a customer account. Customers would not actually have to open or accept the digital receipt.
At the same time, the change would alter businesses’ tax administration. Companies with annual turnover of more than 100,000 euros would have to use an electronic till system from 2028. An exception is proposed for businesses with less than 12,000 euros in cash turnover; other exceptions still need to be worked out in greater detail.
The German government links the measure to the fight against tax evasion. According to the Finance Ministry, there are still more than 100,000 open cash-register systems in which turnover is not recorded, or is recorded only by hand. Electronic systems should record transactions more effectively and make manipulation more difficult.
The government expects businesses to save around 106 million euros a year in implementation costs as a result of removing the general paper requirement. This is a government estimate, not an established result. Against this, there will be investments in till software, security and digital storage.
Germany’s retail sector has criticised the proposal. Trade associations fear the cost of switching over and argue that the digital obligation is not the same as scrapping the receipt requirement altogether. The new rules could also prove complicated for small businesses, market traders and companies with limited digital infrastructure.
The proposal is not yet law. Parliament still has to consider it, and exceptions and transitional rules may change. For Dutch companies with shops in Germany, the key point is that the measure concerns not only paper but also tax software, till security and how customers receive proof of purchase.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The cabinet has approved a bill.
- Digital receipts are due to become the standard from 2028.
- Under the proposal, paper will remain available on request.
- Electronic till systems will become compulsory for certain businesses.
- Parliament still has to consider the proposal.
Left
Arguments Digital recording can reduce tax evasion and ensure that businesses compete more fairly. At the same time, the government must prevent people without a smartphone or digital skills from losing their proof of purchase.
Values Tax fairness, social accessibility, consumer protection and privacy.
Consequences Greater oversight can protect public revenue, but a digital standard must not cause exclusion or unnecessary data collection.
Centre
Arguments A digital receipt makes sense if paper remains available on request and the introduction is phased in carefully. The benefits depend on secure standards, clear exceptions and proportionate enforcement.
Values Practical feasibility, legal certainty, efficiency and freedom of choice.
Consequences The transition could save costs in the long term, but it will first require investment and good support for small businesses.
Right
Arguments The state should not burden businesses with new digital obligations if the aim can also be achieved through simpler rules. Entrepreneurs should be able to choose for themselves how they organise receipts and administration.
Values Reducing regulatory burdens, entrepreneurship, property rights and a restrained government.
Consequences An overly complex system could push up prices and drive small shops out of the market, while the benefits for tax oversight remain uncertain.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The text clearly distinguishes between the cabinet’s proposal and definitive legislation. The main thresholds, exceptions and cost estimate have been checked against official German sources and an independent Reuters publication.
- confirmed The German government wants to end the obligation to provide paper till receipts from 2028. — Confirmed by the Bundesregierung and the Finance Ministry. source
- confirmed Customers can still ask for a paper receipt. — The Bundesregierung states that paper will remain available on request. source
- confirmed Electronic till systems are proposed for companies with annual turnover above 100,000 euros. — Confirmed by the Bundesfinanzministerium. source
- confirmed The government estimates annual savings of around 106 million euros. — This is explicitly presented as a government estimate. source
Editor's note
The cabinet decision and the proposed amounts and thresholds have been confirmed by German government sources. The rules are not yet final; costs for businesses and the final exceptions may change.Sources
- Digitale Belege ersetzen Papierbons — Bundesregierung
- Digitale Kassen und das Ende der Papierbons — Bundesministerium der Finanzen
- Papierbelege sollen wegfallen - Handel trotzdem unzufrieden — Reuters via onvista
- Bitkom zur Einführung einer Kassenpflicht — Bitkom