Poles divided over bottle deposit system

Poland’s deposit-return system for beverage containers reaches its first anniversary on October 1, with public opinion still divided. In a PBS survey, the share of respondents who return packaging and plan to continue rose from 62% in April to 75% in late summer, while a separate poll found nearly 45% favor abolishing the system. Broken or full return machines, queues and storing empties at home remain common complaints.

The system is also shaping shopping habits: 27% of users have changed stores to return containers, and 77% combine returns with shopping at the same location. Retailers face added labor, storage and cash-flow costs. The system’s next challenge is making returns more reliable.

(pb.pl)