Old Electrical Equipment Take-Back

Permalink General information

German Market can display information about the free take-back of old electrical equipment on product pages, in the cart and at checkout. The official German collection point logo included with German Market is used for this purpose. No additional installation or integration of a graphic is required.

You define the take-back information because it must describe your specific process. This includes, in particular, collection during delivery and other return options. If information has been entered, clicking the link text opens a dialog with the detailed information. If no information has been entered, only the logo and link text are displayed.

The online labelling and information requirements do not automatically apply to every shop selling electrical equipment. They apply from 1 July 2026 to online retailers who are subject to take-back obligations under Section 17 of the German Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG). This is particularly the case if:

• electrical and electronic equipment is sold and the total storage and dispatch areas used for this purpose are at least 400 square metres; or
• electronic cigarettes or electronic tobacco heaters are offered, or have been offered during the previous six months. This case applies regardless of the size of the storage and dispatch areas.

For affected offers, the take-back symbol must be displayed clearly and legibly on the product pages of the relevant devices or before or during the online ordering process. Information about collection and take-back must also be provided. German Market supports this output on product pages, in the cart and at checkout.

The transitional provision is set out in Section 46 ElektroG. The labelling and information requirements are set out in Section 18a ElektroG. The requirements for the take-back obligation are set out in Section 17 ElektroG.

Permalink Settings

You can find the settings under:

WooCommerce → German Market → General → Products → Old Electrical Equipment Take-Back

Automatic Output on Product Pages

With “Automatic Output on Product Page”s, you define for which products the logo and take-back information are automatically displayed on the product page.

The following values are available:

• Deactivated: No automatic output on product pages.
• Activated for all products: Output on every suitable product page.
• Activated for specific product categories and selected products: Output for the selected product categories and for individual products assigned in the product editor.
• Activated only for selected products: Output exclusively for individual products assigned in the product editor.

Product Categories

Under “Product Categories”, you select the categories when the automatic output option “Activated for specific product categories and selected products” is used. The category ID is shown in parentheses after the category name.

Information Link Text

With “Information Link Text”, you define the clickable text displayed next to the logo.

The default text is:

Information on free old electrical equipment take-back

The link text opens the detailed information in a dialog if take-back information has been entered.

Take-Back Information

Under “Take-Back Information”, you describe your individual process for the free collection and take-back of old electrical equipment. No standard text is provided. Enter your individual information about free collection and return. Basic HTML is permitted.

Describe in particular how collection during delivery and other return options are organised in your shop. If the field is empty, no dialog can be opened.

Automatic Output in Cart (Shortcode)

Enable “Automatic Output in Cart (Shortcode)” if the logo and take-back information should automatically be displayed above the cart totals heading in the shortcode-based cart.

The output only takes place if at least one matching product is in the cart.

This setting only applies to the shortcode-based cart. For the block-based cart, add the “Old Electrical Equipment Take-Back” block yourself.

Automatic Output in Checkout (Shortcode)

Enable “Automatic Output in Checkout (Shortcode)” if the logo and take-back information should automatically be displayed below the checkout page in the shortcode-based checkout.

The output only takes place if at least one matching product is in the cart.

This setting only applies to the shortcode-based checkout. For the block-based checkout, add the “Old Electrical Equipment Take-Back” block yourself.

Old Electrical Equipment Pickup in Checkout

The pickup of old electrical equipment is independent of the take-back information. The take-back information displays the logo and information. The pickup option provides customers with an optional checkbox for free collection during delivery.

With “Pickup Checkbox”, you define for which products the optional checkbox is displayed at checkout.

The following values are available:

• Deactivated
• Activated for all products
• Activated for specific product categories and selected products
• Activated only for selected products

For each matching cart item, a separate checkbox is displayed. The checkbox is optional; customers can select the pickup option individually for each offered item.

Pickup Checkbox Text

With “Pickup Checkbox Text”, you define the text of the optional checkbox.

The placeholder ‘[product-name]’ is replaced by the name of the corresponding new product.

The default text is:

Yes, I would like to return a corresponding old device free of charge when [product-name] is delivered.

The old electrical equipment pickup checkbox is supported in both the classic checkout and the block-based checkout. It does not depend on the settings “Automatic Output in Cart (Shortcode)” or “Automatic Output in Checkout (Shortcode)”.

Permalink Product data

If you use “Activated only for selected products” or “Activated for specific product categories and selected products” for “Automatic Output on Product Pages” or “Pickup Checkbox”, individual products can be assigned directly in the product editor.

You can find the fields under:

Products → Edit product → Product data → General

Depending on the activated function, the following checkboxes are available:

• Show the “Electrical Equipment Take-Back” graphic
• Offer free old electrical equipment pickup

If a function is activated for all products or an applicable product category is already selected, no additional manual assignment is required for those products.

Meta keys

If you use a plugin, interface or another tool to import product data, you need the meta-data keys. They are:

• Display take-back information: _german_market_electronic_equipment_takeback_information
• Offer old electrical equipment pickup: _german_market_electronic_equipment_takeback_pickup

For a manual assignment, the value yes is stored in each case.

Permalink Blocks

The “Old Electrical Equipment Take-Back” block is available for the Block Editor. In the block-based cart and block-based checkout, add it as an inner block of the relevant WooCommerce block.

In the cart and checkout, German Market checks the current cart. On a product page, the current product is checked. In these contexts, the block is only displayed if a matching product is available.

The block provides the following layout options:

• Alignment: left, center or right
• Maximum width (px)
• WordPress spacing settings for margin and padding

The “Maximum width (px)” setting is located in the “Layout” section. If the field is left empty, the block uses 100% of the available width.

Permalink Shortcode

For the take-back information, use:
[gm_electronic_equipment_takeback]
On a product page, the current product is checked. In a shortcode-based cart or checkout, the current cart is checked. Outside these contexts, you can specify a product by its ID:
[gm_electronic_equipment_takeback product_id="123"]
Replace ‘123’ with the ID of the desired product. The output is only generated if the product or cart is determined to be applicable according to the settings.

The shortcode outputs the take-back information but does not create a checkbox for old electrical equipment pickup. This checkbox is automatically provided at checkout when the “Pickup Checkbox” settings result in a matching product.