Germany to Scrap Mandatory Paper Receipts by 2028 in Digital Overhaul
Published on 07/24/2026 at 22:43 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
German businesses will no longer be legally required to hand out paper receipts from January 1, 2028, under a major reform unveiled by the federal government on July 24, 2026. The move is designed to slash bureaucracy and streamline operations at the checkout, according to officials who briefed reporters on the plans.
The draft law, presented by the Federal Ministry of Finance, shifts the default method of receipt delivery from paper to digital. Shoppers will instead see a QR code displayed on the till screen, which they can scan if they want a record of their purchase. But the right to a physical receipt will not disappear entirely—customers who explicitly ask for one must still receive it, ensuring that people without smartphones or those who prefer a paper trail are not left out.
The reform ties the use of certain technology to turnover thresholds. From 2028, any business with annual revenue exceeding 100,000 euros will be required to operate electronic cash registers. The goal is to create a tamper-proof, fully traceable record of every transaction.
Industry observers report that the change will be phased in gradually. Initially, the paper-receipt requirement may be dropped only for small amounts—a threshold of 30 euros is under discussion. Only later would the exemption apply to purchases of any size. This staggered approach is intended to give smaller retailers time to adapt and invest in the necessary digital infrastructure.
At its core, the reform is a weapon against tax evasion. The Finance Ministry stressed that the new rules are a key part of a broader action plan to crack down on tax fraud, developed by Finance Minister Klingbeil in cooperation with Hubig. Klingbeil first signaled the plan last week when he presented the anti-fraud strategy.
By linking red-tape reduction with tighter digital oversight, the government hopes to modernise Germany’s tax system. The switch to a digital audit trail and forgery-proof electronic tills is seen as essential to boosting honesty in cash transactions and curbing revenue losses for the state—a win for both the taxman and law-abiding businesses, officials argue.
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