Deposit Austria: Deposit system in Austria from 2025 for single-use beverage packaging

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On 1 January 2025, Austria will introduce a deposit system for certain single-use beverage packaging. There are various approaches to increasing collection rates and optimising the recycling of used raw materials. One of these is the introduction of a deposit system for single-use drinking containers, which already exists in many European countries (the Scandinavian countries are well ahead). The other European countries are about to introduce it (as is the case with the deposit in Austria, for example), are discussing it intensively or have already implemented it at least in part (not nationwide).

In Austria, the introduction of the deposit system was decided with the last amendment to the Waste Management Act (AWG), which was published in the Federal Law Gazette I No. 200/201 on 10 December 2021. The Austrian Deposit Ordinance (PfandVO) came into force on 26 September 2023 and regulates all the details for planning and implementing the system.

Deposit combats littering, ensures a more circular economy and increases the collection rate

Littering is still a major and serious problem in Austria. This is even though Austria has a functioning waste management system and is one of the cleanest countries in the world. Every year, litter clean-up campaigns take place in many places, where more than 1,000 tonnes of waste are collected. Littering is particularly prevalent along the roads. This is confirmed by regular surveys conducted by the Federal Environment Agency in Austria. The recyclable materials that are carelessly disposed of in the countryside are not recycled. In most cases, they are heavily weathered and contaminated so that they can only be thermally utilised instead of recycled.

One very effective measure to combat littering is the introduction of a deposit system for disposable drinking packaging. This is because experience has shown that if a deposit must be paid first when buying these drinks, the money is returned instead of simply being thrown away. This means that the plastic and metal deposit containers can instead be recycled to a high standard and returned to the packaging material cycle as recyclable material.

When the deposit system is launched in 2025, the aim is to achieve a collection rate of 80 percent. After just two years, i.e. by 2027, the collection rate for deposit containers is to be increased to 90 percent. An international comparison with countries where modern deposit systems for single-use beverage containers have been in place for some time shows that this is realistic.

Deposit Austria: How is the deposit system implemented in Austria?

All types of drinks with a volume of 0.1 to 3.0 litres are affected, except for milk and dairy products. This means that beverage bottles made of disposable plastic and beverage cans or bottles made of metal will then count as disposable deposit products. The deposit fee is a standardised EUR 0.25 and is independent of the material or size of the container. Packaging subject to deposit must be labelled with a barcode (GTIN) and the official deposit symbol.

All types of milk and dairy products (with > 51% milk content, e.g. whey or yoghurt drinks) have so far been exempt from the regulation for food-related reasons. In Germany, however, where the deposit system has been in place for many years, the deposit obligation has been extended to milk and mixed milk drinks packaging from 1 January 2024. Recycling these plastic bottles and metal cans no longer poses a major hygiene challenge. It can be assumed that this is also a temporary exemption in Austria and that the mandatory deposit will be extended to all products.

Implications for manufacturers about deposit in Austria

The introduction of the deposit system entails many new obligations for manufacturers. All companies that produce or import disposable drinks and want to sell them in Austria from 2025 must register themselves and their products with the Central Agency. This registration has been possible on the Central Agency’s web portal since 10 June 2024. If the products are not registered, they cannot be recognised as such by deposit machines or other take-back points.

From 1 January 2025, beverages that are part of the deposit system must always be sold to retailers or consumers with a deposit fee of EUR 0.25 included. This deposit fee will be paid to the Central Agency.

Furthermore, these companies must pay a so-called producer fee to the Central Agency for placing deposit containers on the market in Austria, which serves to finance the deposit system in addition to the unpaid deposit fee (“deposit slip”). According to the Deposit Ordinance, the producer fee must be calculated according to ecological criteria. The amount therefore depends on how recyclable the packaging is according to defined criteria (classification of the packaging components as “good materials”, taking into account the absence of components that prevent recyclability) and whether the use of resources could be minimised (i.e. the extent to which packaging volumes and packaging weights could be reduced to a minimum) – the keyword is eco-modulation. The more recyclable the packaging and the lower the raw material content, the lower the producer fee.

RecycleMe expert teams provide support with preparation

Are you affected by the one-way deposit in Austria? Then the video of our partner webinar with ÖPG – Österreichische Pfandsystemgesellschaft on the new deposit regulation for single-use beverage packaging in Austria will help you to make an initial assessment of your situation. Do you have further questions? Please contact us to arrange an appointment for an individual consultation!