About ETPA

The European Thermal Paper Association (ETPA) represents a dynamic group of companies that are integral to Europe’s rich paper-making tradition. Our members are at the forefront of innovation in the thermal paper industry, contributing significantly to the economic development of their respective regions. Collectively, they employ over 4,500 manual workers and professionals across Europe, driving growth and strengthening the socio-economic fabric of communities.

At ETPA, our mission is to promote the interests of the thermal paper industry in Europe. We are committed to providing a collaborative platform to gather and exchange best practices relating to the safety of thermal papers, and to represent the industry with European and international authorities and associations.

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Nic Holmer
ETPA President

General Manager Sales & Marketing
Kanzan Spezialpapiere

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Sebastian Früh
ETPA Vice President

Director Thermal Paper Division
Koehler Paper

Our members

ETPA members include family-owned businesses and international groupings that contribute to the European economy and society. The industry provides thousands of jobs in areas of Europe where employment opportunities are limited.

In addition, the thermal paper industry indirectly stimulates employment in related sectors, thus playing an important role in the regions where facilities are located. Key countries with notable thermal paper production include Germany, Finland and Spain.

Association members include:

  • Jujo Thermal Ltd headquartered in Kauttua, Finland, where its production plant is also located. It is a member company of the Japanese Nippon Paper Group.
  • Lecta Group includes Torraspapel SA, headquartered in Barcelona, which produces thermal paper in Leitza, Spain.
  • Kanzan Spezialpapiere GmbH is headquartered in Düren, Germany, where it also has its production facilities.
  • Koehler Paper SE headquartered in Oberkirch, Germany, with thermal paper production facilities in Kehl, Germany.
  • Mitsubishi HiTec Paper Europe GmbH headquartered in Bielefeld, Germany, where it also has thermal paper production facilities.

If you are interested in becoming a member of ETPA, or have any questions about the association, please feel free to contact the ETPA Secretariat by email at: mail@etpassociation.org

EU Transparency Register identification number: 063789047077-65

What is Thermal Paper?

Thermal paper is a specialty paper that changes colour when exposed to heat. It is produced through a thermal printer, which applies heat to the paper, causing an image to appear without the need for single-use input materials such as ink.

Thermal paper is integral to the production of receipts used in retail outlets and restaurants, credit card slips, ATM receipts, bank statements, self-adhesive labels applied to packages, tickets for transport and events, lottery tickets, baggage tags and boarding passes. Thermal paper applications are therefore widely used in business sectors such as retail, hospitality, banking, transportation and the pharmaceutical sector, resulting in significant demand for this material within the EU and worldwide.

Value of Paper Receipts

The use of paper checkout receipts brings a wide range of benefits for government treasuries, businesses and consumers:

Paper checkout receipts help to prevent tax evasion

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Little bureaucracy reduction - at the expense of taxpayers

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Paper receipts help to secure consumer rights

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Innovation & Sustainability

Innovation and sustainability are key drivers for the thermal paper industry, which invests significantly in research and development to create new and exciting solutions. ETPA members prioritise sustainable sourcing of raw materials such as wood and make ongoing efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of their operations.

Environmental Certifications

Reducing water consumption

Energy consumption and transport

Bisphenol-free thermal papers

Click on the icon for some background information concerning innovation and sustainability initiatives. You are invited to consult the websites of individual member companies for more extensive information and the very latest developments. Click on their logos to find out more.

Contact

The ETPA Secretariat, email: mail@etpassociation.org

ETPA is a non-profit organisation constituted under Swiss law. The head office of the association is in Zurich, Switzerland.
EU Transparency Register number: 063789047077-65

Paper checkout receipts help to prevent tax evasion and fraud

The requirement for paper checkout receipts helps to prevent tax evasion and fraud: issuing a paper receipt ensures that every transaction is recorded in the system. For this reason, Germany − where fraud linked to manipulation of check outs is estimated to cost the state billions of euros per year − decided to make the issuance of paper receipts mandatory from 2020 onwards.

Paper checkout receipts enable tax authorities to carry out effective checks on businesses. By comparing paper receipts with sales recorded in the cash register, any potential fraud is detected. It therefore remains an essential element of modern checkout systems.

Abolishing paper receipts would increase the likelihood of tax evasion, resulting in a loss of government revenue to spend on public services. Given the high cost of the digital and sustainable transformation of our economy, and the challenging economic environment, national governments cannot afford any loss of revenue.

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Little bureaucracy reduction – at the expense of taxpayers

Any potential reduction in bureaucracy from reducing the paper receipt requirement would be minimal and do not outweigh the potential risks in terms of tax evasion and fraud. Retailers would still need to have the infrastructure to print paper receipts at the request of customers and for larger purchases.

Abolishing the requirement to issue paper checkout receipts undermines transparency in a company’s cash management. To give just one example, the German Tax Union estimates that up to €15 billion inincome tax is already lost annually due to insufficient oversight. Weakening the ability of tax authorities to monitor cash transactions will further incentivise tax evasion.

To achieve a significant reduction in bureaucracy, it is important to avoid individual regulations that risk unintended consequences and focus on measures that are effective for the health of the economy as a whole.

Rather than speeding up the checkout process, introducing a rule whereby paper receipts are not required for lower value purchases (de minimis limit) would increase the risk of mistakes by staff, especially in very busy situations.

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Paper receipts help to secure consumer rights

Paper checkout receipts allow consumers to check the cost of what they have purchased, as soon as a purchase is made (products, prices, discounts) immediately. They also help consumers to keep track of their spending, which is particularly important for households on a tight budget.

Some 59% of the European consumers believe that paper receipts are more practical for returning goods or obtaining refunds, according to a 2019 survey of 6,375 consumers throughout France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Paper checkout receipts therefore provide a simple and convenient proof of purchase that strengthens consumer trust in retailers.

In many EU Member States, digital receipts have low acceptance by consumers: many consumers are reluctant to provide personal information like email addresses or phone numbers due to the increasing risk of privacy breaches, data theft or unsolicited marketing.

Paper receipts are accessible to all. Restrictions on the use of paper checkout receipts and the promotion of “digital by default” or “digital only” receipts can unfairly disadvantage older generations and consumers who do not have easy access to computers, tablets and smart phones. Paper receipts, in contrast, are accessible to everyone and can be easily stored. Furthermore, they can be consulted even when electronic systems are not accessible due to hacks or technical issues.

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Environmental Certifications

ETPA members have obtained numerous environmental certifications from the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and other bodies, demonstrating their commitment to safety and environmental standards (follow the links to the members’ websites for specific details). Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified sources, for example, demonstrate a commitment to using only pulp from controlled production processes, a practice designed to maintain biodiversity and forest health.

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Reducing water consumption

Thermal paper producers invest in technologies and practices to maximise efficient use of water resources. This can include, for example, the use of mechanical and biological purification processes to clean water. Such efforts help reduce the overall environmental footprint of thermal paper production, inter alia by only using water for a short period of time before returning it to nature.

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Energy consumption and transport

Thermal paper producers have taken actions in recent years to reduce energy consumption per amount of paper produced and reduce emissions. The wide range of initiatives undertaken include various commitments to decarbonisation and climate change mitigation, better procurement strategies and generating more energy from renewable resources. Please follow the links above to the corporate websites of the member companies for concrete examples.

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Bisphenol-free thermal papers

ETPA members are committed to further developing and transitioning to bisphenol-free thermal papers, in line with the evolution of the regulatory environment. For example, several companies manufacture thermal paper for producing cash register rolls that are BPA-free or phenol-free.

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