On December 4th, it was reported that the introduction of Poland's deposit refund system was supposed to be a milestone measure to reduce waste, but it has already sparked controversy. Small shops have warned that the new regulations could put them on the brink of bankruptcy, while large breweries such as Carlsberg and Jevitz Group have effectively bypassed the central deposit refund system by establishing their own bottle recycling systems.
The initial idea of the deposit refund system was a simple solution: to add a deposit to the price of products packaged with easy to pull lids, and customers would receive a deposit refund after returning empty bottles or cans. However, in Poland, this mechanism has encountered many difficulties in practical operation since its implementation in October 2025. Many stores, big or small, have announced that they will not participate in the program. The reasons for their decision include inadequate infrastructure, high compliance costs, and organizational management challenges.
The mandatory participation requirement only applies to large stores with an area exceeding 200 square meters. Small retail stores can theoretically not join the system, but this approach carries the risk of losing customers. Consumers may choose larger stores where the deposit can be refunded when purchasing beer. It is precisely this that may force small shops to join the system, even if it means additional costs, which many small shops find difficult to afford.
The situation for small businesses in Poland is already very difficult. The country's debt registration data shows that their total debt exceeds 681 million zloty, with an average debt amount of 30000 zloty per household. Some highly indebted merchants even carry debts of up to 3 million zlotys. In this situation, any additional expenses - from purchasing software to setting up payment points - will increase their burden.
The Polish Chamber of Commerce estimates that in countries implementing similar systems, the income of small shops has decreased by as much as 30%. This poses a real threat to many small businesses that are already struggling on the brink of profitability.
The brewery is building its own system
Faced with the difficulties faced by small shops, large beer companies have found a way to bypass the central deposit refund system. Carlsberg Brewery has received approval from the Governor's Office of Mazovia Province in Poland to exclude its recyclable glass bottles from the system. Grupa ? ywiec Group is also waiting for a similar decision. The brewery argues that instead of using a nationwide operator, it is more efficient to adopt its own recycling system - Carlsberg claims its recycling rate is as high as 92% to 94%, far exceeding the legal requirement of 90%.
The mechanism is simple. The brewery transports the products to stores and wholesalers, and then recycles empty bottles in subsequent distribution. This eliminates intermediate links and additional costs, and as they say, it can also reduce carbon emissions. Although this is a favorable solution for the company, for the market, it means maintaining two parallel deposit systems, which may lead to logistics chaos.
The brewery argues that their operating methods are more environmentally friendly and economical. They believe that the central deposit refund system introduces additional intermediate links, prolongs logistics processes, increases costs, and increases carbon dioxide emissions. However, for small shops and consumers, this will bring more problems. Different systems imply different packaging return policies, which may deter customers from the program.
In theory, the deposit refund system should have been an effective tool to curb waste. However, in practice, it has brought new challenges to the Polish retail industry. Small shops that are already heavily in debt may find it difficult to bear the additional costs. Large breweries not only did not support a central deposit refund system, but also established their own system, leading to market fragmentation.
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