Deposit system. Trade warns of chaos and confusion

“The risks associated with the introduction of the deposit system on 1 January 2025 include the inability to prepare many key issues, which means the risk of chaos and confusion among customers. In addition, stores are threatened with high fines of up to PLN 500,000. The current shape of the regulations provides for unfair and disproportionate requirements and penalties,” POHiD reported.

The statement highlighted the actions of the retail industry to limit the impact Inflation on prices with very low margins. The current the project requires expensive investments in a short time, as well as severe penalties, which will negatively affect the entire sector.

“Trade should provide collection points set up for those introducing beverages, and the deposit system should be set up by those introducing beverages and financed by them. Meanwhile, the project assumes a transition period for those introducing beverages and the possibility of entering the deposit system at any time next year, as well as disproportionately low penalties in relation to those envisaged for shops,” the organization adds.

Everyone a shop with an area exceeding 200 square meters will have to charge a deposit from each product containing the special logo. Failure to collect it will result in a fine of PLN 10,000 to PLN 500,000.

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POHiD points out that only some producers intend to implement deposit packaging in the first months of 2025, which means that “customers will be irritated to move away from the bottle vending machine that will not accept most bottles” and their frustration will be transferred to the store staff.

“The scale of the chaos is evidenced by the fact that the logo to be placed on products that will be in the deposit system is also to be changed. The Ministry of Climate and Environment has already announced this change, and two versions of the logo are to be in force temporarily. After the final change of marking, stores will have to destroy packaging with the old version of the logo, which means high costs and losses for the environment,” the organization adds.

The retail sector also called for “the introduction of a transitional period for the sale of products without a deposit”, which would help avoid the harmful and costly process of destroying packaging.

According to the draft amendment to the act on the management of packaging and packaging waste, the deposit system in Poland is to start operating from 2025. Its aim is to reduce the amount of mixed municipal waste collected by municipalities and increase the level of recycling. Large stores, with an area of ​​over 200 square meters, will have to collect empty packaging and return a deposit. Smaller stores, on the other hand, will charge a deposit, but joining the packaging collection system will be voluntary in their case.

The system is to cover three types of packaging: plastic bottles up to 3 liters, reusable glass bottles up to 1.5 liters, and metal cans up to 1 liter. Previously, it was assumed that the obligation to collect milk and dairy product packaging under the deposit system would be introduced from the beginning of 2026.

At the end of July, the latest version of the draft amendment to the act was published. regarding the implementation of the deposit system in Poland. The draft amendment to the act also includes a provision excluding the obligation to collect milk and dairy product packaging under the system. Previously, it was assumed that these packages would be covered by the deposit system with a one-year delay, i.e. in 2026. As also reported in the Regulatory Impact Assessment, the draft act includes an obligation to accept reusable glass packaging by retail outlets with an area of ​​less than 200 square meters, provided that they sell beverages in such bottles.