Buying a bottle marked at a certain price and paying 10 cents more at the register can surprise many consumers. The difference is linked to the Volta system, the new deposit and refund mechanism applied to certain beverage packaging in Portugal.
The charge may be legal, but it does not apply to all packaging nor does it require clear information at the point of sale. The essential question is whether the bottle or can is covered by the system and whether the consumer was informed, before payment, that the price of the product includes a refundable deposit.
What is Volta deposit
The Volta system applies a 10 cent deposit to non-reusable beverage containers covered by the new Deposit and Refund System. According to the Directorate-General for the Economy, the system came into operation on April 10, 2026 and covers non-reusable primary beverage packaging made of plastic, ferrous metals and aluminum with a volume of less than three liters, as long as they are identified with the Volta symbol.
In practice, the consumer pays 10 cents more at the time of purchase and recovers this amount when returning the empty packaging to an authorized collection point. Volta clarifies that the deposit amount is 0.10 euros and is not subject to VAT. The value was set by , of January 15th, and Decree-Law No. 152-D/2017 provides for the deposit to be transmitted along the distribution chain to the final consumer.
Which establishments can charge 10 cents
The 10 cents charge doesn’t just depend on the type of store. A supermarket, minimarket, café, restaurant, bar or vending machine must charge the deposit if it sells packaging covered by the system, unless specific exceptions are made for restaurants.
The decisive point is the packaging. If the bottle or can has the Volta symbol and is within the covered categories, the deposit is charged at the time of purchase. This means that a 1.5 liter bottle of water sold in a minimarket can have an additional 10 cents associated with it, as long as it is integrated into the system. The same can happen with soft drinks, waters, juices, beers, ciders or other drinks in covered packaging.
What about cafes and restaurants?
There is an important rule of thumb for dining establishments. Volta explains that, in places where payment is made at the end of the meal, the deposit is not charged when the package remains at the establishment, because it is that establishment that is responsible for the return. If payment is made before consumption, or if the customer takes the packaging with them, the deposit is charged and responsibility for the return passes to the consumer.
Decree-Law No. 152-D/2017 also provides that, in cases of payment after consumption, the deposit should not be charged, except if the label or packaging is damaged in such a way as to prevent identification, or if the packaging remains in the consumer’s possession.
Here too there is a difference between selling and receiving packages. Volta Points and Volta Kiosks can accept covered packages even if they were purchased elsewhere. Catering establishments are only required to accept packaging that they have sold, and may request proof of purchase when applicable.
Do all bottles pay a deposit?
No. Only packaging covered and identified with the Volta symbol must have a deposit. During the transition period, until August 9, 2026, the same or similar packaging may coexist on the market, some already with the Volta symbol and others without this symbol. If the packaging is not identified, the deposit should not be charged and the packaging will also not be accepted for refund in the system.
For example, glass packaging, ECAL packaging, such as Tetra Pak, packaging without the Volta symbol and drinks with more than 25% ingredients of dairy origin are excluded. Therefore, when faced with an unexpected charge, the first step is to check the bottle or can itself. The Volta symbol is the element that indicates that that packaging is integrated into the system.
The price on the shelf may not be the final one?
Here the answer requires care. The deposit may appear as a separate amount from the price of the product, but the consumer needs to be able to understand, before paying, how much they will pay.
The general price display rules indicated by ASAE determine that all goods intended for retail sale must display the retail price. This price must correspond to the total value, including taxes, fees and other charges passed on to the consumer, so that they know the exact amount to be paid.
In the case of the Volta system, there is also its own rule: the deposit amount must be detailed on the invoices and identified on the supports used to indicate the price of the product.
What this means in practice
If a bottle appears marked at 1 euro and, at the box, the consumer pays 1.10 euros, there are two issues to distinguish. The first is that the price of the product can be 1 euro and the 10 cents correspond to the Volta deposit, refundable after the packaging is returned. This charge may be legal if the packaging is covered by the system.
The second issue is how the information was presented. If nothing on the shelf, display or near the product indicated that you added the 10 cent deposit, there may be a transparency issue in communicating the price.
The consumer should not just discover at the checkout that the amount to be paid is greater than indicated. The establishment must make it clear that there is an additional deposit or present the information unambiguously.
Should the deposit appear on the receipt?
Yes. The deposit must be detailed on the invoice or coupon, separate from the price of the product. Thus, the consumer realizes that they did not pay more for water, juice or soft drinks, but rather a deposit associated with the packaging. This distinction is also important because the deposit is refundable. If the packaging is returned in good condition, the consumer recovers the 10 cents.
To receive this amount, the packaging must be empty, intact, complete, with a lid in the case of bottles, with a legible barcode and the Volta symbol. If you do not meet these criteria, the collection point may refuse it.
How to get your 10 cents back
Refunds can be obtained at Volta Points, Volta Kiosks or other participating locations. Volta indicates that the covered packaging can be returned at Volta Points and Volta Kiosks even if they were purchased in another establishment.
In supermarkets and hypermarkets, the consumer can receive the amount through a voucher convertible into cash, shopping voucher, discount, loyalty card, donation or other available means, depending on the collection point. Volta states that, in these places, the consumer can request the amount in cash and is not obliged to spend it in the establishment itself.
There is, however, an important difference between collecting the deposit and accepting returns. Retail establishments with an area equal to or greater than 400 square meters are required to receive all packaging covered by the SDR. Establishments with an area greater than 50 square meters and less than 400 square meters must, as a rule, receive the packaging they sell. Establishments with an area equal to or less than 50 square meters are exempt from this obligation, although they can join the system as a collection point.
The essential thing is to keep the packaging in good condition. A bottle that is crushed, without a cap, without a legible code or without a Volta symbol may not allow you to recover the tank.
What to do if you were charged without warning
If the consumer was surprised by an extra 10 cents in the box, they should ask for immediate clarification and confirm whether the packaging has the Volta symbol. If it has a symbol, the deposit may be due, but the establishment must explain the charge and indicate it clearly. If there is no Volta symbol, the deposit should not be charged.
When the displayed price does not correspond to the amount charged, or when the information about the deposit is not clear, the consumer can request correction, save the receipt and make a complaint. The supervision of price display rules is the responsibility of ASAE.
The short answer
Yes, a mini-market can charge the 10 cents for the Volta system if it sells a package covered and identified with the Volta symbol. In fact, in these cases, the rule is to charge the deposit.
But the consumer must be clearly informed. The price on the shelf must not be misleading. If a refundable deposit is added to the indicated amount, this information must be visible before payment and the amount must appear detailed on the receipt. In simple terms: 10 cents may be nice, but the surprise in the box is that it shouldn’t be the rule.
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