Rules by country / Europe / Poland deposit return system
Poland deposit return system: what 0.50 zł a bottle does to your prices
Since 1 October 2025, shoppers pay 0.50 zł on plastic bottles and cans, and 1 zł on reusable glass, and get it back on return. A 6-pack of 1.5 litre water costs 3 zł more at the till. We plan your prices and packs for it.
At the deposits in force since 1 October 2025 (reusable glass since January 2026).
A price and pack plan for the deposit
Your prices and packs with the deposit on top, product by product and retailer by retailer.
- How shoppers switch between pack sizes when the till price jumps
- The best shelf price for each pack, with the deposit on top
- Which multipacks and price points to lead with, and how to promote them
- A plan by retailer, and an Excel model to test other prices
How your results look
| Pack | Deposit at the till | Our advice |
|---|---|---|
| Water, 6 x 1.5 litres | +3.00 zł | Hold the price |
| Beer, 4 x 500ml cans | +2.00 zł | Lead with the 4-pack |
| Cola, 2 litres | +0.50 zł | Keep the price point |
Fictional products. Every real result comes with the expected sales and profit, and a likely range.
Your options
Every option has a fixed price, agreed before we start.
Price and pack plan
- The deposit and best choice for each product
- Price plan for each retailer
- Scenario model and a walk-through
Pricing review with the deposit
- Everything in the deposit review
- Prices and promotions for the whole range
- How your products take sales from each other
Portfolio review
- Everything in the pricing review
- More retailers and data sources
- A plan for each channel
After the project: a refresh before each pricing round, from £2,000 (about 10,000 zł). Prices are fixed in pounds sterling; amounts in złoty are a guide at October 2026 exchange rates. We're based in the UK and work remotely, in English, under NDA.
How it works
From the first call to your plan in about three weeks.
A free 15-minute call
Tell us about your range. We say whether a review would pay for itself, and quote a fixed price.
Your data
Sales by product and retailer, recipes and costs. We sign an NDA before anything moves.
Your plan
Prices and packs for the deposit, walked through with your team.
Poland deposit return system: the detail
Open only what you need.
- Started
- 1 October 2025; reusable glass bottles from January 2026
- Deposits
- 0.50 zł on single-use plastic bottles up to 3 litres and metal cans up to 1 litre; 1 zł on reusable glass bottles up to 1.5 litres
- Shops
- Every shop selling covered drinks charges the deposit; shops over 200 square metres must take returns
- Producers
- Join a licensed deposit system operator and put the deposit mark on each container
- Changeover
- Drinks placed on the market before 1 October 2025 could be sold without the deposit until stocks ran out
- Targets
- 77% of covered packaging collected to 2028, and 90% from 2029
Hold the price
Keep the shelf price and let the deposit show. Works when shoppers see past it.
Change the pack
The deposit is a bigger share of a small pack's price. Shift volume to sizes that carry it better.
Rethink promotions
A 24-pack's till price jumps the most. Check which deals still pay once shoppers see the deposit.
When did the deposit system start in Poland?
On 1 October 2025 for plastic bottles and cans. Reusable glass bottles joined in January 2026.
How much is the deposit in Poland?
0.50 zł on plastic bottles up to 3 litres and cans up to 1 litre, and 1 zł on reusable glass bottles up to 1.5 litres.
Do you need a receipt to return bottles in Poland?
No. Containers with the deposit mark can be returned without a receipt. Shops over 200 square metres must take them back.
Is single-use glass in the Polish deposit system?
No. Only reusable glass bottles carry a deposit, of 1 zł.
How much does a price and pack plan cost?
A review of up to 10 products has a fixed price from £7,500 (about 39,000 zł) and takes about three weeks. For 11 to 50 products, a full pricing review costs around £17,500 (about 92,000 zł). It starts with a free 15-minute call.
Do you work with brands in Poland?
Yes. We're based in the UK and work remotely and in English, under NDA. Prices are fixed in pounds sterling before we start, and the first step is a free 15-minute call.
- Osborne Clarke, deposit return system in Poland: new regulations (5 June 2025)
- Polish Radio, Poland to launch bottle and can deposit system on October 1
Checked on 25 October 2026. Rules and rates change, so check the official source before making decisions. This page is not tax advice.
Also changing prices in Poland
Ask about these on the same call.