What does the deposit system in Germany look like and how does it work? Interzero in Berlin

The deposit system in Germany, known as “Pfand” or “Pfandsystem”, is a well-developed and widely used system designed to encourage consumers to recycle and reduce packaging waste. For disposable bottles, the deposit is 25 euro cents. The deposit amount for reusable bottles is set by the manufacturer and ranges from 8 to 25 euro cents.

The entire deposit system covers up to 18 billion packages per year, of which 95% is handled by bottle lockers and 5% by the bag system.

On August 24, together with employees from the Eurocash Group, we went to Germany to look at the deposit system in practice. Together we visited stores with both bag collection systems and automatic ones. We also visited the Interzero Reclamation Center, where waste is sorted into appropriate fractions.

Thanks to the trip, we could see with our own eyes how retail chains deal with German legislation. We were able to exchange experiences with our partners and learn better about the procedures taking place in the visited units.

The deposit system will soon come into force in Poland. As Interzero, we strive to understand the needs of the industry as best as possible. We improve our offer, analyse the successes of others and explore development opportunities. We believe that together we will be able to overcome legal challenges and create a system as efficient as our western neighbours.

Take advantage of our experience and create a deposit system with us. We will provide you with solutions to facilitate waste collection and logistics and will take over the reporting obligation. More information HERE and HERE .