The system will start in April 2026 and aims to encourage recycling by delivering packaging to stores. The amount that will be refunded for each deposit is not yet known.
The Deposit and Refund System (SDR) officially comes into force on April 10, 2026 and will allow get paid for each bottle or can of drinks such as water, juices, soft drinks or beer delivered to a collection point. The exact amount of the deposit has not yet been revealed by the managing entity, SDR Portugal.
According to a statement from SDR Portugal, the system is in the implementation phase and will cover packaging of single-use drinks in plastic, aluminum and steel up to three liters. Those containing dairy products or wine are excluded, due to the risk of contamination of recyclable materials.
The Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, announced in Parliament that the start of the SDR will feature 2500 automatic machines and eight thousand stations collection points distributed throughout the country. Consumers will be able to return their packaging at supermarkets and other points of sale, in a process that the entity guarantees is “accessible and intuitive”.
Created by the Government in 2022, in compliance with a European directive and approved by Parliament in 2018, the SDR aims to encourage recyclingvalue materials and promote the circular economy, involving both producers and consumers. The objective is to “transform the way we relate to single-use beverage packaging”, highlights SDR Portugal.
The entity, led by Leonardo Mathias, former Secretary of State for the Economy, highlights that the system will contribute to meeting European environmental goals: by 2029, 90% of single-use plastic and metal packaging must be collected selectively, and by 2040, plastic bottles will have to incorporate hair less 65% recycled material.
The SDR will be financed by revenues obtained from the sale of recyclable materials, contributions from packers and the value of unclaimed deposits. The investment in machines and collection points will be the responsibility of retailers, who will be compensated through a handling fee.
