17 EU countries already have a deposit on bottles and cans, and the rest are following. From 2029 the new European packaging rules make it mandatory almost everywhere. Click a country to see since when, how much and who runs it.
| Country | Status | Since | Deposit | Run by | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark | Deposit return active | 2002 | 1–3 DKK | Dansk Retursystem | |
| Germany | Deposit return active | 2003 | €0.25 | DPG (Deutsche Pfandsystem) | |
| Estonia | Deposit return active | 2005 | €0.10 | Eesti Pandipakend | |
| Finland | Deposit return active | 1996 | €0.10–0.40 | Palpa | Around 97% comes back. |
| Hungary | Deposit return active | 2024 | 50 HUF | MOHU | |
| Iceland | Deposit return active | 1989 | 20 ISK | Endurvinnslan | Not an EU member. |
| Ireland | Deposit return active | 2024 | €0.15 / €0.25 | Re-turn | |
| Croatia | Deposit return active | 2006 | €0.10 | Environmental Protection Fund | |
| Latvia | Deposit return active | 2022 | €0.10 | Depozīta Iepakojuma Operators | |
| Lithuania | Deposit return active | 2016 | €0.10 | USAD | |
| Malta | Deposit return active | 2022 | €0.10 | BCRS Malta | |
| Netherlands | Deposit return active | 2006 | €0.15 / €0.25 | Statiegeld Nederland | Small bottles added in 2021, cans in 2023. This is where Pop it in already operates. |
| Norway | Deposit return active | the 1990s | 2–3 NOK | Infinitum | Not an EU member; one of the highest return rates in the world. |
| Austria | Deposit return active | 2025 | €0.25 | Recycling Pfand Österreich | |
| Poland | Deposit return active | Oct 2025 | 0.50 PLN | several operators | Refillable glass: 1 PLN. |
| Portugal | Deposit return active | Apr 2026 | €0.10 | SDR Portugal (Volta) | Europe’s newest system. |
| Romania | Deposit return active | 2023 | 0.50 RON | RetuRO | |
| Slovakia | Deposit return active | 2022 | €0.15 | Správca zálohového systému | |
| Sweden | Deposit return active | 1984 | 2–3 SEK | Returpack (Pantamera) | |
| Belgium | Planned or in preparation | in preparation | to be decided | — | |
| Bulgaria | Planned or in preparation | under study | to be decided | — | |
| Cyprus | Planned or in preparation | in preparation | to be decided | — | |
| Greece | Planned or in preparation | planned | €0.10–0.15 | DRS Hellas | |
| Luxembourg | Planned or in preparation | in preparation | to be decided | — | |
| Slovenia | Planned or in preparation | in preparation | to be decided | — | |
| Spain | Planned or in preparation | late 2026 / 2027 | ± €0.10 | being set up (SDDR) | |
| Czechia | Planned or in preparation | law on hold | to be decided | — | A 2024 plan is on hold. |
| United Kingdom | Planned or in preparation | Oct 2027 | to be decided | Deposit Management Organisation (being set up) | Starting in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. |
| France | No system | — | — | — | No national system; some pilots. |
| Italy | No system | — | — | — | No system. |
As of September 2026. Amounts per container; many countries have a low and a high rate, for example for small and large. Sources: the national scheme operators, the Reloop Global Deposit Book and Sensoneo’s DRS overview. Missing something? Let us know.
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