More than PLN 121 million in packaging deposits not claimed in Poland — Interia

In Poland, the value of packaging deposits that consumers did not claim back in 2025 under the deposit system exceeded PLN 121 million. A total of PLN 121.826 million in deposits was collected, while PLN 728,800 was returned to consumers, Interia reports, citing data from Poland’s Ministry of Climate and Environment.

Funds are directed toward operating the system

The ministry explained that unclaimed deposits do not go directly to the state budget. They are one of the sources of funding for the deposit system, alongside contributions from businesses that place beverages on the market and income from the sale of materials for recycling.

Funds from unclaimed deposits cover, among other things, the costs of collecting, transporting and sorting packaging. Therefore, they should not be equated with the net profit of system operators. The ministry also stated that this money will not be transferred to the state budget, for other public needs, or to entities not involved in creating the system.

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Data for 2025 are not final

Deputy Minister Anita Sowińska stressed that the amount of unclaimed deposits cannot be regarded as the final profit of operators or as funds permanently lost by consumers. Packaging purchased at the end of 2025 could have been returned in 2026.

Poland’s deposit system began operating on October 1, 2025. It covers single-use plastic bottles with a capacity of up to 3 liters, metal cans of up to 1 liter and reusable glass bottles of up to 1.5 liters. The deposit is 50 groszy for a plastic bottle or can and PLN 1 for a glass bottle.

The ministry does not have complete data on the total cost of operating the system, and a more comprehensive assessment will be possible after reporting periods are completed. Eight system operators operate in Poland. Industry representatives are raising questions about the use of unclaimed funds and settlements between operators if packaging was bought in one store and returned in another.