According to the study, 6 percent respondents believe that the deposit system will only be introduced, and another 6 percent Haven't heard of him at all. Of the people using the deposit system (62% of all respondents), 40% collects and returns packaging regularly, and 22 percent he does it occasionally.
The majority of respondents, 55%, are encouraged to return packaging covered by the deposit system mainly by returning the deposit. For 37 percent it is the desire to recycle waste.
In turn, people who do not use the deposit system do not do so due to the lack of return points in the immediate area – this answer was chosen by 34%. respondents. 32 percent pointed out the lack of space at home to store empty packaging, and the same number pointed out that refund machines were out of order.
The publication describing the study noted that 53 percent Poles obtain knowledge about the system mainly from the Internet, 48 percent from the government campaign, and 39 percent from information about deposits on receipts.
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What needs to be improved in the deposit system? Two main problems
People returning packaging were also asked about the areas of the system that require improvement. 41 percent respondents mentioned out-of-service refund machines, and 32 percent distance from the collection point and clogged machines. 17 percent consumers also pointed to the lack of competence of store staff regarding the deposit system. At the same time, 46 percent has trouble collecting packaging at home.
The survey was carried out by the IQS Opinion Research Institute for the nationwide educational campaign #rePETujemy using the CAWI method on a representative sample of 1,000 Poles.
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The deposit system in Poland
The deposit system in Poland has been operating since October 1, 2025. For drinks in plastic bottles (up to 3 liters) and metal cans (up to 1 liter), a deposit of 50 cents is added, which can be recovered after returning the packaging. Whether a given package is covered by a deposit is indicated by the deposit sign printed on the label or can – two arrows forming a rectangle with the word “deposit” and its amount. To recover the deposit, you do not need to have a receipt, but the packaging cannot be crushed.
The main goal of the deposit system is to increase the levels of separate collection of beverage packaging and achieve EU recycling thresholds. According to them, in the years 2025-2028, the level of selective waste collection is to reach 77%. in the case of single-use plastic bottles (up to 3 liters), metal cans (up to 1 liter) and reusable glass bottles (up to 1.5 liters). From 2029, this threshold will increase to 90%.
