From 1 January, Austria has introduced a standard 25-cent deposit, or Pfand, on drinks containers.
The system is designed to cut waste and boost recycling, but its introduction comes with transitional rules that have left some shoppers confused. Here’s what you need to know.
How the Deposit System Works
The deposit applies to all single-use PET plastic bottles, aluminium cans and glass containers displaying the official deposit logo. When buying a drink, you pay an extra €0.25 per container, which is added to the price. This amount is refunded when you return the container. For example, a tray of 24 beer cans will include an additional €6 deposit.
To get your money back, the container must be undamaged, with both the deposit logo and the EAN code clearly visible. A small dent in a plastic bottle is fine, but crushing or otherwise damaging it will mean you can’t claim the refund.
Transitional Period for Manufacturers and Shops
Not all drinks containers in shops currently have the deposit logo. Manufacturers can produce non-logoed containers until the end of March 2025, and shops are allowed to sell these items until the end of 2025, as long as the products remain within their expiry dates. This means it could be a while before all drinks containers on shelves are part of the new Pfand scheme.
Returning Containers
You can return containers using automated return machines (commonly found in supermarkets, either at the entrance or the back of the store), or directly at the cashier’s desk. Any shop selling drinks, including tobacconists (Tabak Trafik), is required to accept returns, even if the brand differs. For instance, a supermarket selling 0.5-litre PET bottles must accept any 0.5-litre PET bottles, regardless of the brand. Similarly, a bakery selling 0.33-litre cans only needs to accept returns of cans of that size.
How Many Containers Can You Return?
Automated return machines impose no limits on the number of containers you can return at once. However, smaller shops with manual return systems, where you hand the containers to a cashier, such as bakeries, are only obligated to accept returns in quantities in line with their typical sales. This usually means accepting one to three containers per customer.
