From autumn, each purchased drink in a bottle or can will be associated with an additional fee – bail. The refund will only be possible if we give the packaging to the designated collection points.
The new regulations come into force on October 1, 2025 and will cover plastic PET bottles up to 3 liters, metal cans and – from January 1, 2026 – glass bottles up to 1.5 liters.
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Deposit height:
- 0.50 PLN – PET plastic bottles up to 3 l,
- 0.50 PLN – cans,
- 1 PLN – disposable glass bottles (from 2026).
To recover money, just give away empty packaging in the store, a bullying machine or a special collection point.
How to recognize bottles and cans covered by the bail? A clear symbol of the deposit system will appear on the labels along with information about the deposit. By the end of 2025, manufacturers have time to introduce markings, which is why some packaging will still be sold without a symbol – we will not pay and recover for them.
Return of bottles and cans will be possible in:
- all stores over 200 m²,
- smaller stores offering drinks in returnable bottles,
- deposit machines,
- voluntary points.
The system will not have one operator – 7 companies will operate, which may be associated with different service rules and machines.
Cash or shopping voucher? Many stores will offer a refund in the form of a voucher for shopping. It is worth knowing that The consumer always has the right to request a return on cashand the store cannot refuse it.
Will this raise garbage bills? The deposit is a separate fee that is not related to municipal waste bills. Undetegrated deposits may, however, become an additional source of revenues for producers.
Also check:
The family drinking 2 bottles of water will pay a day about PLN 30 per month. If he buys more drinks, the amount can reach up to PLN 100 per month. To recover money, the packaging must be collected in full – with a clear bar code and without crushing – and donate at the collection points.
- Advantages of the bail system: greater recycling, less garbage in forests and parks, easier access to recyclable materials for producers.
- Disadvantages of the bail system: an additional obligation for consumers, especially burdensome for seniors and people with disabilities.
By 2025, Poland must collect a minimum of 77 percent. bottleand until 2029 as much as 90 percent The deposit system is to be a key tool to achieve these goals. Therefore, from October the year we will not throw plastic bottles and cans into the yellow container. Everyone who wants to recover money from the deposit will have to go to the collection point. This is a change that requires habit, but can significantly reduce the amount of garbage in our surroundings.
