The deposit system will launch on October 1st. An unknown detail in the rules will deprive you of cash.

• For returns of plastic bottles or cans, customers receive 50 cents, and for returns of glass bottles, 1 złoty. You don't need a receipt to get your money back.
• The Ministry of Climate and Environment emphasizes that it is permissible to issue a voucher or coupon if it can be easily exchanged for money in a store
• Although the act on the deposit system does not specify a deadline, the Ministry of Culture and Environment recommends that the voucher should be valid for at least one month.

The Infor portal reminds that a deposit-refund system will be in effect in Poland starting October 1, 2025. Stores will be offering beverages in special packaging that will include information about the deposit amount for returns .

Any customer will be able to return a bottle or can for a refund, regardless of whether they have a receipt. For plastic bottles up to 3 liters or metal cans up to 1 liter, the refund is 0.50 cents per bottle.

For returning glass bottles up to 1.5 liters, customers will receive 1 PLN. The regulations clearly state that the refund must be in cash or credited to a card .

It's worth noting, however, that vouchers that can later be redeemed for cash are becoming increasingly common in other countries. According to the Ministry of Climate and Environment, a similar solution is permissible in Poland, provided the voucher can be easily cashed.

This means that a customer can take a printed coupon to the cashier of a store where the machine is located and receive the amount due in cash. The store cannot make payment conditional on making a purchase, and simply printing a coupon does not constitute a deposit.

This solution simplifies the operation of packaging return machines. This means the devices don't need to be replenished with coins as often, allowing them to operate longer.

How long should a voucher be valid?

The Ministry of Climate and Environment emphasizes that the Act on the deposit system does not directly regulate the issue of vouchers, nor does it specify the minimum or maximum period of their validity.

At the same time, the ministry states that the coupon should remain valid for at least one month. This period is justified by the regulations regarding settlements between the store and the representing entity (Article 40i, Section 3 of the Act).

In this case, settlement, i.e., the refund by the entity representing the customer of the deposit paid by the retailer, should occur after the customer has used the voucher, i.e., after the monetary amount has been refunded. Simply printing the voucher does not constitute payment of the deposit, the Ministry of Culture and Environment emphasizes.

Copyrighted material - reprint rules are specified in the regulations .