According to the Polish Federation of Food Industry Producers (PFPŻ), Poland is not yet prepared to launch its national deposit return system (DRS), scheduled for October 1, 2025. The primary reason cited for the delay is the lack of operational licenses for system operators—a critical step in implementation. Experts warn that the system may face several months of delay, potentially causing confusion among consumers and chaos in retail operations.
What Is the Deposit Return System?
The DRS is designed to promote recycling and reuse of beverage containers, helping Poland meet its environmental goals and comply with the EU Single-Use Plastics (SUP) Directive. It will cover:
- PET bottles up to 3 liters
- Metal cans up to 1 liter
- Reusable glass bottles up to 1.5 liters
All retail stores larger than 200 square meters that sell these beverages will be required to collect used containers. Despite the scheduled launch in October, licenses for DRS operators have only recently begun to be issued—just five licenses granted so far.
“We’re simply not ready. A law alone isn’t enough. We need licensed operators, and it’s June already—they haven’t received the licenses,” said Andrzej Gantner, General Director and Vice President of PFPŻ, speaking to Newseria.
Risks of Launching Without Full Preparation
According to Gantner, the remaining time before the October deadline is insufficient to finalize contracts with retail stores and define both financial and logistical systems. He warns of major disruptions:
- Consumers might be misled about where and how to return packaging.
- Retailers, especially large stores obligated to collect containers, are left in limbo about which operator to work with.
There is a three-month transition period for unlabeled beverage containers, meaning that by December 31, all such packaging must be sold, returned, or removed from circulation. If the system doesn’t launch in time, large amounts of inventory may need to be destroyed, incurring substantial financial losses.
“If systems aren’t operational by the end of the year—and it appears they won’t be—producers will bear huge losses. This is not their fault,” Gantner emphasized.
Even once licenses are issued, operators must sign up to 120,000 contracts with stores and among themselves to enable system-wide reconciliation. This includes deciding how containers will be labeled and which IT systems will handle deposits.
“In a country like Poland, where nearly 16 billion containers must be collected annually, we said from the start: it will take 2–3 years to implement a user-friendly, secure system. Realistically, we’re looking at mid-next year or later,” Gantner said.
Operators and Market Flexibility
“Unlike in other countries—Slovakia, Latvia, Romania, or Austria—October 1 is not a hard, uniform launch date,” explained Anna Larsson, Director of Circular Economy at RELOOP Platform. “That’s simply the earliest date from which operators may begin, according to their licenses.”
Poland will become the 19th European country with a DRS. Sweden has had one for over 40 years. The Polish model blends Nordic-Baltic features with the German multi-operator structure, which could introduce some early-stage complications.
“In Nordic and Baltic models, a single operator represents both producers and retailers. In Germany, there’s no centralized operator. Poland is trying a hybrid of both, which could lead to later market consolidation,” Larsson noted.
Financial Incentives and Environmental Goals
The system’s success will depend heavily on consumer motivation through financial incentives. According to the Ministry of Climate and Environment:
- A 50 groszy deposit will apply to PET bottles and cans
- A 1 złoty deposit will apply to reusable glass bottles
“This model has worked in countries like Lithuania (2016), Latvia (2022), and Slovakia (2022), all of which reached the EU average of 90% collection within just two years,” said Larsson.
The DRS falls under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which holds producers accountable for the post-consumer phase of their packaging. This system aims to reduce waste and increase recycling rates.
“Currently, over 150 beverage containers per capita are wasted each year in Poland. These aren’t just litter—they represent valuable secondary raw materials not being recovered,” Larsson added.
Industry Stakeholders Demand Reform
These issues were the focus of the May 28 conference titled “Extended Producer Responsibility – Environmental Policy, Dialogue, and Stakeholder Roles,” organized by Rekopol.
Participants called for:
- Accelerated issuance of operator licenses
- Better national coordination
- Wider application of trade defense mechanisms, such as anti-dumping duties
- Increased involvement from border countries like Poland in EU customs decisions
“Poland’s voice is heard in Brussels,” affirmed Katarzyna Smyk, Head of the European Commission Representation in Poland. “Our ministers and delegates co-shape EU trade policies. Companies should also engage directly through industry associations active in Brussels.”
Industry representatives also pushed for the faster implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), extending it to high-emission building materials and ensuring full life-cycle emissions—especially transport-related—are accounted for.
