Can & Cycle
Water in a can: why a can?
Water in a can: what the deposit system entails, how many cans are returned, what is known about microplastics and BPA – and what the critics have to say.
ACQUA REAPER is available in six flavours, all in 330-ml cans. Why water in a can? This page sets out the facts on deposits and returns, microplastics and bisphenol A – as well as the Federal Environment Agency’s criticisms of single-use packaging. We deliberately avoid making environmental claims in our advertising, instead citing figures and sources.
Deposit: at least 25 cents per can
Since 12 August 2026, the Packaging Act Implementation Act (VerpackDG) has governed the one-way deposit scheme; it has replaced the Packaging Act. The key points are:
- A deposit of at least 0.25 euros, including VAT, is levied on single-use beverage containers – at every stage of the supply chain right up to the end customer.
- Packaging must be clearly marked as subject to a deposit, and manufacturers must participate in a standardised, nationwide deposit scheme.
- Exceptions, such as those for juices, milk or wine, do not apply to beverage cans. This means that any beverage can with a capacity of between 0.1 and 3 litres sold to end customers in Germany is subject to a deposit.
- Signs in the shop bearing the word ‘SINGLE-USE’ must indicate that this packaging will not be reused once it has been returned.
There is a 0.25-euro deposit on every ACQUA REAPER can, and a 6.00-euro deposit on a tray of 24 cans.
Where you can return cans
Anyone who sells drinks in single-use packaging must take back empty packaging of the same material free of charge and refund the deposit – in other words, cans wherever beverage cans are sold. Shops with less than 200 square metres of retail floor space are only required to take back packaging from the brands they stock. The deposit will not be refunded unless the packaging is returned.
When purchasing from an online shop, the retailer must ensure that return facilities are available within a reasonable distance, and the word ‘ONE-WAY’ must also appear where the drinks are on sale. In the case of drinks vending machines, the same applies to returns made near the machine.
How many packages are returned
The single-use deposit scheme in Germany has been operated since May 2006 by Deutsche Pfandsystem GmbH (DPG), a company founded by the retail and food industries. According to its own figures, the return rate stands at 96 per cent or more. Around 20 billion items of packaging pass through the system each year, and more than 1,000 companies are affiliated with it. Every year, around five billion euros in deposits are settled between manufacturers and retailers. To prevent anyone from counterfeiting deposit labels, the DPG has developed a security marking in collaboration with the Bundesdruckerei; only certified printers are permitted to print the deposit emblem.
By law, returned single-use packaging must be sent for recycling.
The criticism: Reusable products from the region fare better
The Federal Environment Agency (UBA) is clear: in its view, reusable bottles from the local area are the best choice. It advises against using single-use bottles and cans and recommends drinking tap water. According to the UBA, reusable glass bottles can be refilled up to 50 times, whilst reusable PET bottles can be refilled up to 20 times.
Germany is a long way from meeting its statutory target: in 2021, 42.6 per cent of drinks in the beverage segments subject to a deposit were sold in reusable packaging, whilst the target was 70 per cent.
In a life cycle assessment carried out in 2024, the UBA concluded that the environmental impact of single-use packaging depends primarily on the weight of the packaging and the proportion of recycled material it contains. In the case of aluminium cans, the potential for optimisation arising from the packaging itself – at 10 to 15 per cent – is slightly lower than for glass, PET and beverage cartons, where it is around 20 to 30 per cent.
We take this criticism seriously. That is why we do not describe our can as environmentally friendly, but call it what it is: a single-use container subject to a deposit.
Microplastics: bottle, glass or can?
Microplastics have been found in drinks from all types of packaging. In 2025, the French food safety agency ANSES found that glass bottles generally contained more particles than plastic bottles, cartons or cans – presumably due to the colour of the crown caps. Water levels were low across all types of packaging. A German study in 2018 found microplastics in mineral water from every type of packaging examined. No packaging is therefore free from microplastics. An overview of the studies and their limitations can be found in our guide ‘Microplastics: Bottle, Glass or Can’.
Bisphenol A in cans
Beverage cans are coated on the inside. Bisphenol A (BPA) was used, amongst other things, in the epoxy resins found in such coatings. The EU has banned BPA in food contact materials under Regulation (EU) 2024/3190 with effect from 20 January 2025. A transition period applied until 20 July 2026 for most products, and until 20 July 2028 for tinned fruit, vegetables and fish. More on this can be found in the article ‘Bisphenol A in cans’.
What makes the can so practical
- Dimensions and weight: One can measures 5.8 × 5.8 × 14.5 cm and, according to the product specifications, weighs 0.35 kg. A tray containing 24 cans measures 36 × 24 × 15 cm and weighs 8.60 kg.
- Serving size: 0.33 l is exactly one serving, so that nothing is left over once the packet has been opened.
- Contents: Still and Sparkling are table waters; Pink Grapefruit, Lime & Mint and Citrus are waters with natural flavouring, containing no sugar and no sweetener; Energy – Blackcurrant & Pomegranate is an energy drink containing no sugar and no sweetener.
Our article, ‘EU Packaging Regulation (PPWR)’, explains the rules introduced by the new EU Packaging Regulation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the deposit on a can?
At least 0.25 euros, including VAT, per can. For ACQUA REAPER, the price is 0.25 euros per can and 6.00 euros per tray of 24 cans.
Where can I return deposit cans?
Anywhere where drinks are sold in cans. Shops smaller than 200 square metres are only required to take back the brands they stock themselves.
Are deposit cans recycled?
Returned single-use packaging must be sent for recycling. According to the DPG, the return rate in the German single-use deposit system is 96 per cent or higher.
Is water from a can better than water from a bottle?
Not across the board. The Federal Environment Agency recommends reusable bottles sourced locally and tap water. In a French study, microplastic levels in cans were often lower than in glass bottles, but the water in all types of packaging contained only low levels of microplastics.
Is there bisphenol A in beverage cans?
BPA has been banned in food contact materials in the EU since 20 January 2025; for most products, a transition period applied until 20 July 2026.
What does the ‘ONE-WAY’ sign in the shop mean?
This shows that this packaging, which is subject to a deposit, is not reused after it has been returned. Reusable beverage packaging is marked with a ‘REUSABLE’ label.
Since when has the Packaging Act been in force?
Since 12 August 2026. It has replaced the Packaging Act and transposes the EU Packaging Directive into German law.
Sources
- ACQUA REAPER: Product specifications, 14 September 26.
- ACQUA REAPER: Product label – Still & Sparkling, 26/08.
- ACQUA REAPER: Product labels, as at 26 July.
- Acqua Reaper: Product label for Energy Blackcurrant, as at 07/26.
- Federal Law Gazette 2026 I No. 207: Packaging Law Implementation Act (VerpackDG), Sections 46, 47; entered into force on 12 August 2026, published on 17 July 2026. recht.bund.de
- Federal Association of the Food Industry (BVE): 20 years of the one-way deposit scheme: How Germany established the EU’s largest deposit scheme, 7 August 2026. ernaehrungsindustrie.de
- Federal Environment Agency: Reusable bottles are more environmentally friendly than single-use ones, as at 16 March 2026. umweltbundesamt.de
- Federal Environment Agency: Proportion of drinks in reusable packaging has fallen slightly, 19 February 2024. umweltbundesamt.de
- Federal Environment Agency (TEXTE 124/2024): Life-cycle assessment of potential for optimisation in beverage packaging – Final report, 2024. umweltbundesamt.de
- ANSES (France): Glass bottle caps contaminate drinks with microplastics, 25 June. anses.fr
- Schymanski D, Goldbeck C, Humpf HU, Fürst P – Water Research 129 (2018): Analysis of microplastics in water by micro-Raman spectroscopy: Release of plastic particles from different types of packaging into mineral water, 2018. doi.org
- European Commission (Access2Markets): EU ban on the use of and trade in bisphenol A from 20 January 2025, accessed 16 September 2026. trade.ec.europa.eu
Can & Cycle
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Read first, then give it a go.
Six varieties with no sugar and no sweeteners — still, sparkling, three flavoured varieties and an Energy drink – Blackcurrant & Pomegranate. With all ingredients and nutritional values per 100 ml.