Portugal is celebrating the official launch of its deposit return scheme (DRS) for single-use drink containers. This is a major milestone for environmental sustainability and recycling in Portugal, with the country becoming the 19th in Europe to implement such a system, as well as the first sizable market in Southern Europe to adopt a DRS. This milestone signals a new era of circular leadership for Portugal.
TOMRA
Portugal launches its deposit return scheme for single-use drink containers
The system, branded Volta and managed by SDR Portugal, will see consumers pay a €0.10 deposit when purchasing eligible drink containers, including PET plastic bottles as well as aluminium and steel cans (up to 3L). They will receive a full refund once containers are returned via the designated collection points. Additionally, retail stores larger than 400 square meters are required to accept all packaging covered by the DRS, either through an automatic or manual collection point.
“Portugal’s DRS is a transformative step toward a cleaner environment and a more circular economy,” said Paulo Borges, Managing Director at TOMRA Collection Portugal. “By making it easy for citizens to return drink containers for recycling, we are reducing waste, improving material recovery, and accelerating the transition to a truly circular system.”
TOMRA Collection is providing reverse vending solutions, making returns faster, more convenient, and reliable for consumers, retailers, and system operators. The company has over 50 years of experience in deposit return systems, with over 91,000 reverse vending machines installed internationally. TOMRA Collection helps collect over 53 billion drink containers every year,
“We are proud to support Portugal’s transition to a circular economy by bringing TOMRA’s trusted reverse vending technology to the heart of the national deposit return scheme,” continued Borges. “Our focus has been on delivering solutions that are user-friendly for consumers, efficient for retailers, and designed to support the ambitious collection targets set for Portugal.”
“Circular economy solutions for drink containers are moving from policy ambition to operational reality. Portugal is ready to serve as a lighthouse model for the region, demonstrating leadership, ambition and determination to deliver high-performing collection and recycling rates at scale, while significantly reducing terrestrial and marine litter,” concluded Thomas Morgenstern, Vice President Public Affairs – Head of Europe and Central Asia.
Stores designated as return locations will have a 120-day transition period to meet the new operational requirements. This will allow them to prepare return infrastructure, rather than addressing beverage producers’ labelling obligations. Pre-DRS products can still be sold for a limited time: producers have up to 60 days, while wholesalers and distributors have up to 90 days. After 120 days, only DRS-compliant products will be allowed on the market.