New disposable deposit system from January 2025

Tips: How will the new deposit system work from January 1, 2025?

Fiala/Parth: The standard deposit amount of 25 cents is collected at the time of purchase and refunded to consumers when the empty containers are returned. In the future, empty containers with a deposit can be returned to all places where drinks are sold – whether supermarkets, bakeries, drugstores or restaurants. The disposable deposit containers are marked with the Austrian deposit logo. Consumers can return the empty containers either via return machines, as is already known from reusable bottles, or directly at the point of sale.

Tips: What do consumers need to prepare for?

Fiala/Parth: Consumers must be prepared for the fact that there will be a transition period. This means that some bottles and cans will still be sold without a deposit, while others already have a deposit. This can be identified by the Austrian deposit symbol. In addition, the container must not be crushed when returned and the label must be clearly legible. This is the only way the reverse vending machine can tell whether it is an Austrian deposit container or not.

Tips: What is subject to a deposit?

Fiala/Parth: From January 1, 2025, plastic beverage bottles and metal cans with a capacity of 0.1 to 3 liters will be subject to a deposit. These are marked with the deposit logo. Milk and milk mix products, syrup and medical products are excluded. The one-way deposit on metal and plastic beverage packaging has no influence on the existing reusable deposit on glass – there are different deposit amounts here. In the one-way deposit system, no crate deposit is charged either.

Tips: How will the deposit system affect prices?

Fiala/Parth: The one-way deposit system has no impact on the prices of drinks. Consumers pay a deposit of 25 cents when they buy, but they get this amount back in full when they return the empty bottles or cans. The deposit must be shown separately on the price labels and on the invoice and is therefore transparent and understandable. There is also no hidden price increase.

Tips: What do you generally expect from the new deposit system?

Fiala/Parth: The introduction of the disposable deposit system promotes the circular economy and ensures that disposable packaging is efficiently recycled and reused. The aim is to achieve a return rate of 80 percent in the first year (2025), which is to increase to 90 percent by 2027. The new deposit cycle ensures that bottles and cans are not only collected, but also recycled again and again into beverage packaging. This means that old bottles and cans can be used to make new bottles and cans from high-quality recycled material. Littering, i.e. the careless throwing of packaging into nature, is also reduced, resources are conserved and ultimately a positive contribution is made to climate protection.

Circular economy and resource conservation are the only way to ensure responsible business in the beverage industry and the way forward. The one-way deposit is an important milestone, the success of which depends heavily on our active participation. The high level of acceptance of over 80 percent of the population underlines how important resource conservation and a clean environment are to people in Austria. Our vision is an efficient and service-oriented deposit system that ensures a sustainable Austria.