The fees for scheme participation are based on the level at which the QS scheme participant operates. The QS scale of fees distinguishes between production, wholesale, processing, logistics, and food retail. The wholesale and processing stages are further differentiated into first-line merchants, i.e. companies that receive the goods directly from the producer, and trading partners.
A flat annual fee applies to all scheme participants, with the exception of first-line merchants. The fee for first-line merchants is based on the company's total turnover. The respective amount is based on a 7-level turnover table. It is irrelevant how much turnover the company generates with QS products.
The fee covers the system scheme participant's registration in the QS database and all services provided directly by the QS scheme. This also includes the right to use the QS certification mark in accordance with the General Regulations
and the Style Guide (for the QS certification mark)
. The fee also entitles scheme participants to additional programs such as QS-FIAS and QS-FIN and the option of combined audits with McDonald's and Chain of Custody free of charge.
For QS-GAP certified production companies, the fees for scheme participation also include the registration fee for the GLOBALG.A.P database and the participation fee for the GLOBALG.A.P system.
In addition, the participating company may incur further costs for certification, residue monitoring, and fees charged by the coordinator for bundled companies. However, these fees are not charged by QS.
All companies that have concluded a direct agreement (wholesale, preparation and processing) with QS and whose scheme participation is not organized through a coordinator pay their fee plus the applicable statutory value-added tax at the beginning of each contract year.
Companies and businesses at the production and logistics stages, as well as food retail markets, settle their QS scheme participation via their coordinator or, in the case of logistics, via the certification body. In these cases, the QS fee is included in a total invoice from the coordinator, which may also include other services provided, such as certification. QS has no influence on the coordinator's cost calculation for the scheme participant.
The QS scale of fees applicable from January 1, 2026 in the fruit, vegetables, and potatoes supply chain can be found here.
QS-GAP certified producers must pay fees to GLOBALG.A.P for registration in the GLOBALG.A.P database and participation in the GLOBALG.A.P system. QS has paid these fees for its scheme participants and borne the full cost. However, as GLOBALG.A.P. has now significantly increased these fees, QS is no longer able to bear them. QS must therefore pass on the fees payable to GLOBALG.A.P to the bundled QS-GAP certified production companies via their coordinators, in line with the principle of causality – this does not result in any economic advantage for QS.
• Basic fee: previously €15.00 per producer location per year; from 2026: no change
Additional
• For QS-GAP-certified producers: GLOBALG.A.P. registration and participation fee: previously borne solely by OS / from 2026: €15.00 per production site
• For production companies with recognized certificate: previously no fee / from 2026: recognition fee of €15.00 per production site
For the first time in over 20 years, QS is adjusting its fees for fruit, vegetables, and potatoes. The reasons for this are, on the one hand, the general increase in costs, particularly in recent years, which has had an impact on business activities, and, on the other hand, the declining number of companies in the FVP sector as a result of structural change. The adjustment will enable QS to continue to cover its costs in the future and offer the branch a broad and flexible range of services.
QS will moderately adjust the fees for wholesalers and preparing and processing companies for fruit, vegetables, and potatoes by 10 percent starting in 2026. In addition, the previous six-tier turnover table used to determine the fee for first-line merchants will be supplemented by a further tier. The new highest turnover level applies to companies with an annual turnover of more than €75 million. The scale of fees thus reflects the structural change in the branch more fairly and adapts to the declining number of companies.
The QS scale of fees applicable from January 1, 2026 in the fruit, vegetables, and potatoes supply chain can be found here.
The QS scale of fees applicable from January 1, 2026 in the fruit, vegetables, and potatoes supply chain can be found here.
