The Volta system has been in force since April 10 and brought a simple change to the price of some drinks: the packages covered now cost 10 cents more. This value, however, is not a definitive rate. It can be recovered if the empty packaging is returned to collection points.
According to , which listened to DECO PROteste, anyone who buys a bottle of water daily and does not return the packaging can lose around 3 euros per month, or 36 euros after a year. The value may seem small in each purchase, but it becomes more evident when consumption is regular.
How the Volta system works
The system applies to single-use beverage packaging, made of plastic, metal or aluminum, with a capacity of less than three liters, as long as they have the Volta symbol.
In practice, the consumer pays 10 cents more for each covered package. You can then recover this amount by delivering the empty packaging to a participating machine or collection point.
During the transition period, which runs until August 9, not all packaging still has the Volta symbol. Therefore, at this stage, only packaging duly identified with the system symbol is entitled to a refund.
What do you have to do to get your money back
To be accepted, the packaging must be empty, intact and with the barcode legible. In the case of bottles, you must also keep the lid on. If the packaging is very deformed or has no readable barcode, it may not be accepted by the machine.
Collection machines are mainly found near supermarkets and issue a refund receipt. Depending on how the collection point works, the value can be used as a voucher, discount or other mechanism defined by the operator.
How much could you lose at the end of the year?
The bill depends on consumption habits. In the example given by DECO PROteste to Notícias ao Minuto, a person who buys a bottle of water every day and does not return the packaging loses around 36 euros per year.
In a family that consumes several bottles or cans per day, the value can be much higher. Four unreturned daily packages represent 40 cents per day, around 12 euros per month and more than 140 euros after a year.
There are still doubts at the start
The system has been in operation for just over a month, so DECO PROteste considers it too early to make a definitive assessment.
Nuno Figueiredo, spokesperson for the consumer protection organization, explained to Notícias ao Minuto that Volta needs more time to present consolidated data on membership, difficulties and territorial coverage.
Even so, the organization considers that information about return rules, collection points and system operation is available on various channels, including supermarkets.
Where difficulties may arise
One of the challenges is the system’s coverage across the country. Supermarkets larger than 400 square meters must ensure automatic collection. Establishments between 50 and 400 square meters are required to collect the packaging they sold.
Even so, DECO PROteste argues that operation must be monitored to ensure that all citizens are able to recover the deposit in a simple way, without excessive travel.
Airports also raise questions
Another point mentioned by the organization is the case of airports. In other countries with similar systems, passengers can empty liquid from bottles into dedicated containers, return the packaging and then refill bottles at water points. For DECO PROteste, solutions of this type would also make sense in Portugal, both on departures and arrivals, as consumers pay the deposit when they buy the drink.
The symbol to look for
To avoid losing money, the consumer must confirm that the packaging has the Return symbol before throwing it away. There are currently around 2,500 system machines installed in the country, with this number expected to approach 3,000.
In the end, the rule is simple: if you paid the 10 cents deposit, you only get it back if you return the package. And, when the gesture is repeated every day, the difference at the end of the year is no longer so small.
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