Highlights

• The deposit return system has been in operation since 1 October 2025. However, it really gained momentum in the first quarter of 2026.
• Since 1 January 2026, we have seen a steady increase in the number of packaging items covered by the system, as well as those already returned.
• By the end of March, around 520 million empty bottles had been returned.
• There are 52,000 collection points across the country where packaging can be returned
• Shops smaller than 200 square metres play a significant role – it is in these local outlets that around 24,000 collection points operate, which significantly increases the system’s accessibility.

The deposit-refund scheme has been in full operation for over three months and is tangibly changing consumers’ daily habits and our shared reality. The circular economy is starting to yield tangible results, as the figures show: to date, we have collected around 520 million items of packaging. In mid-March, we reported that there were 300 million of them. So there is clear progress – in two weeks, the number of packaging items collected has increased by 66%.  We estimate that we will collect around half a billion packaging items per month

– said Deputy Minister for Climate and the Environment Anita Sowińska during a press conference.

The whole of Poland cares for the environment

The deposit return system has become a natural part of shopping, and empty packaging is being returned to circulation in ever-increasing quantities. The latest figures show that a total of 520 million items of packaging have already been returned at 52,000 collection points. 78% of this total consists of packaging returned via reverse vending machines (RVMs), which operate at 9,500 locations. 

This is the most popular method of return, but it is not the only one. It is worth remembering that, alongside the automatic collection system, manual collection of packaging is also in operation in over 40,000 shops. This is an equally quick and efficient way to return packaging and receive a deposit refund. The absence of an RVM machine in a shop does not therefore mean that the shop is not collecting deposits. If the machine is out of order, full or refuses to accept a correctly labelled container, the shop is obliged to accept it manually and process the deposit, e.g. at the till. Alternatively, the machine may issue a voucher, which must be exchanged for cash at the till upon the customer’s request. 

The strength lies in small shops

Local communities and the involvement of smaller retailers are an important part of the deposit return system. Although the legal obligation to collect packaging rests with large shops with a floor area of over 200 square metres, 24,000 smaller outlets have already decided to join the system on a voluntary basis. That’s as much as 46% of all return points.

For local businesses, participating in this system brings tangible benefits: additional revenue from handling fees and the opportunity to attract customers. As a result, the system is designed to meet residents’ day-to-day needs, allowing them to return their packaging conveniently whilst doing their daily shopping, without having to make a special trip to a supermarket some distance away.

Universal deposit scheme 

Next to the price of the drink in the shop, there should be clear information about the deposit amount, enabling customers to check the amount added to their receipt. A business operator running a retail outlet or other collection point for packaging is required to display, in a prominent place, information regarding the rules for returning empty packaging and how to claim a deposit refund. 

The universal deposit system operates without the need for receipts. Shops larger than 200 square metres, as well as smaller outlets that have voluntarily joined the system, are required to accept all packaging bearing the deposit mark – regardless of the brand, type of drink or whether the product is stocked in their shop. The refund amount always corresponds to the amount indicated on the label.