The deposit system is a legal mechanism designed to increase the recovery of single-use beverage containers, and more specifically, the materials from which they are made: plastic, glass and metal.
This mechanism will consist in adding a deposit for the packaging to the price of the beverage “on the shelf.” Depending on the type of packaging, this amount will range from 50 groszy to 1 zloty. We should remember that the deposit will only be added at the checkout (it is unlikely to be included on price tags), so let's keep this in mind when calculating what we can buy with the proverbial few zlotys in our pockets!
The deposit system will cover:
- plastic bottles up to 3 litres (deposit of PLN 0.50)
- metal cans up to 1 litre (deposit of PLN 0.50)
- reusable glass bottles up to 1.5 litres (deposit of PLN 1.00)
These obligations will not apply, among other things, to dairy products or the so-called "małpki" (a bottle of vodka up to 250 ml), so for the average consumer, the most important thing is that the deposit system covers only packaging marked with the deposit symbol!
Labelling of packaging covered by the deposit-refund system – Ministry of Climate and Environment – Gov.pl portal
The deposit refund system will be in effect in Poland from 1 October 2025. After this date, beverages packaged with the deposit-refund system symbol will gradually begin appearing in stores. Importantly, only products marked with this symbol will be subject to the system's rules, which means that in the first weeks of October, most products available in stores will still not be subject to deposits.
How do I get my deposit back?
You can get the deposit back by returning packaging to designated collection points, such as:
- stores over 200 m² that sell beverages in packaging covered by the deposit system
- stores under 200 m² that sell beverages in reusable glass bottles, but these stores will only accept glass bottles marked with the deposit system symbol
- other stores that join the system
- deposit vending machines, also available outside retail outlets
- other collection points.
Importantly, the returned packaging must not be crushed, must be empty of its contents (though rinsing or washing is not necessary), and must be labelled! Without meeting these requirements, you will not be able to get a refund of the deposit. A receipt is not required for a refund, and you can return the packaging to a different location than where you purchased it. You can get your refund in the form of a voucher for payment at the point of sale or in cash.
The basis for introducing a deposit system in Poland is Directive 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment (the so-called SUP Directive). It imposes an obligation on Member States to ensure the separate collection of waste for reuse. Businesses introducing beverages in packaging to the market will have to achieve certain levels of selective collection of packaging and packaging waste under the system (77% from 2025 and 90% from 2029).
Currently, according to official Eurostat data, the recycling rate for plastic packaging in Poland is around 46.3%. However, the actual use of recycled waste in new packaging products is significantly lower. Therefore, we should strive to reduce the use of single-use plastic packaging. We do this at the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection by providing students and staff with access to water dispensers!
Source: Jarosław Brodecki (Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz)
Edit: Mateusz Kowalski (Promotion Centre, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz)
