New deposit rules for plastic bottles and cans in Austria

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New deposit rules: Since February, extended deposit obligations for plastic and glass bottles have been in force in Austria. What is affected, and what remains deposit-free?

Since this year, a one-way deposit system has been in place for most plastic bottles and cans in Austria. And as if that wasn’t change enough, the deposit on some glass bottles was also increased at the beginning of February.

The new one-way deposit regulation applies to all plastic bottles and cans with a volume between 0.1 and 3 liters. A deposit of 25 cents is payable for each of these containers—referred to on the list as “deposit-paid disposable” goods—which is refunded on return, provided that the packaging bears the deposit symbol above the barcode, is uncrushed, empty, and has a legible label.

The fact that yogurt is subject to a deposit may seem new to many, but it is not. We are not talking about yogurt pots, but yogurt in 500 g jars, such as those offered by the Schärdinger dairy. The same applies to milk, a “reusable dairy product,” where a deposit is only due for 0.5 or liter bottles. The normal Tetra Pak is and remains deposit-free.
Also, there remains a deposit on soft drinks, mineral water, or fruit juices. This amounts to between 14 cents—for example, in the retro cola bottle—and 29 cents.

New since February: the deposit on beer bottles has been raised for the first time in over 40 years—from 9 to 20 cents.

Anyone buying a crate of beer now pays a whopping seven euro deposit: 20 cents per returnable glass bottle plus three euros for the crate. Previously, the amount was only 4.80 euros. Beverage brands such as Fritz-Kola, Murelli, or Club Mate, which are sold through breweries, have also joined the new regulation.

However, not every beer bottle is the same: many 0.33-liter beers are available in non-returnable and returnable bottles. There are exceptions here, too. For example, Corona brand beer is only sold in returnable bottles. It is also worth taking a closer look at the label for beers from private breweries, such as the Freistadt brewery in Upper Austria, or bottles with swing tops. Depending on the bottle, a higher deposit is charged here—36 or even 51 cents.