Can deposits in Europe: Austria, the Netherlands and others

How much is the can deposit in Austria, and is there also a can deposit in the Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic or Croatia? The amounts vary considerably: Austria, like Germany, charges 25 cents; the Netherlands 15 cents; and Croatia 10 cents. In the Czech Republic, there is currently no deposit on cans at all. You can find all the details in this table – along with tips on returning cans whilst on holiday.

Can deposits in Europe: the table

Converted using the European Central Bank’s reference exchange rates of 16 September 2026: 1 € is equivalent to 7.4755 Danish kroner, 4.3473 zlotys and 24.313 Czech korunas. These amounts are subject to change – it is worth checking the website of the relevant deposit scheme before you travel.

Austria: 25 cents from 2025

A one-way deposit has been in force in Austria since 1 January 2025. It applies to all sealed plastic or metal beverage containers with a capacity of between 0.1 and 3 litres, and the deposit is a standard 25 cents for all bottles and cans. Packaging subject to the deposit can be identified by the Austrian deposit logo. Exempt from the scheme are composite beverage cartons, glass or metal bottles with plastic caps, bottles for baby food and medical purposes, milk and milk-based drinks, and syrups.

A deposit is also payable at drinks vending machines; the empty can can then be returned at another stockist. Austria aims to collect at least 80 per cent of packaging by 2025 and at least 90 per cent by 2027. The return rate stood at 81.5 per cent in 2025.

Important when on holiday: Cans bought abroad that do not carry the Austrian deposit logo will not be accepted by stockists in Austria. They should be disposed of as normal, for example in the plastic recycling bin or the yellow bag.

Netherlands: 15 cents on cans

In the Netherlands, there is a €0.15 deposit on beverage cans, €0.15 on small plastic bottles for water and soft drinks, and €0.25 on large ones. The deposit applies to water and soft drinks in plastic bottles and metal containers up to 3 litres; exceptions for cans include, for example, lemonade syrup, concentrated juice and condensed milk. You can recognise cans subject to a deposit by the deposit logo.

According to Statiegeld Nederland, around 6.4 billion cans had been returned as of December 2025, since April 2023.

Denmark: Pant A, B and C

In Denmark, the deposit depends on the material and size: Deposit A is 1.00 DKK for glass bottles and aluminium cans under 1 litre, Deposit B is 1.50 DKK for plastic bottles under 1 litre, and Deposit C is 3.00 DKK for all bottles and cans from 1 to 20 litres. Converted, that is around €0.13, €0.20 and €0.40.

The Danish deposit symbol consists of a row of dots beneath two arrows within a circle; it is either printed directly onto the container or attached as a small sticker. In 2024, Danes returned 2.1 billion bottles and cans subject to a deposit.

Poland: 50 groszy from October 2025

Poland introduced a deposit-return scheme in October 2025. You get 50 groszy back for plastic bottles up to 3 litres and metal cans up to 1 litre, and one złoty for reusable glass bottles up to 1.5 litres – in each case, only for packaging bearing the deposit scheme logo. You can return them at, amongst other places, all shops larger than 200 m² that sell drinks in packaging subject to a deposit, at deposit return machines and at other collection points.

Croatia: 10 cents per pack

In Croatia, the deposit is 10 eurocents per beverage container. It currently applies to single-use containers made of PET, metal and glass with a capacity of between 0.2 and 3 litres. You can return them to shops and recycling centres that refund the deposit. From 1 January 2027, drink cartons, other plastics and containers holding less than 0.2 litres will also be included.

Czech Republic: Deposit scheme to be introduced from 2028 at the earliest

In the Czech Republic, cans and PET bottles are not currently subject to a deposit. A draft bill on the deposit scheme was not passed during the previous parliamentary term and was reintroduced at the end of 2025 virtually unchanged – with implementation due to begin in early 2028. The Ministry of the Environment had proposed a standard deposit of 4 koruna; the exact amount is to be set by a regulation. In 2022, 73 to 75 per cent of PET bottles but only 26 per cent of cans were collected separately in the Czech Republic.

Returning cans whilst on holiday

Deposit schemes are country-specific: you’ll only get your money back for packaging bearing the deposit symbol of the relevant scheme – in Germany, for example, the DPG symbol and barcode; in the Netherlands, the Statiegeld logo; and in Austria, the Austrian deposit logo. It is therefore best to return empty deposit cans whilst you are still in the country you are visiting. ‘Can deposit explained’ explains how deposits, deposit logos and the return process work in Germany; there is a €0.25 deposit on our 0.33-litre cans.

Outlook: Deposit scheme soon to be introduced across the EU

Under the EU Packaging Directive, all Member States must have introduced deposit and return schemes for single-use plastic beverage bottles and single-use metal beverage containers with a capacity of up to 3 litres by 2029. The aim is to collect at least 90 per cent of this packaging by weight each year; exceptions are only permitted under certain conditions. Read more about this in our article on the EU Packaging Directive, and find out what happens to returned cans in our piece on aluminium recycling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

1. oesterreich.gv.at (Federal Chancellery): From January 2025: New deposit scheme in Austria, accessed 16 September 2026. oesterreich.gv.at
2. Statiegeld Nederland: Consumers – Frequently Asked Questions, accessed 16 September 2026. statiegeldnederland.nl
3. Statiegeld Nederland: Home page (return figures), updated December 2025, accessed 16 September 2026. statiegeldnederland.nl
4. Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport (ILT): Deposit on plastic bottles and cans, accessed 16 September 2026. ilent.nl
5. Dansk Retursystem: Deposit marks and amounts (pant A, B & C), accessed 16 September 2026. danskretursystem.dk
6. Ministry of Climate and Environment (gov.pl): Deposit scheme, accessed 16 September 2026. gov.pl
7. gov.hr (Government of the Republic of Croatia): Packaging and waste packaging, accessed 16 September 2026. gov.hr
8. Narodne novine 137/2024: Regulation on waste management charges and refundable deposits, 29 November 2024. narodne-novine.nn.hr
9. EY Czech Republic (Tax Alert): Deposit scheme for PET bottles and cans back in the Chamber of Deputies, January 2026. ey.com
10. Ministry of the Environment (Czech Ministry of the Environment): Questions and answers on deposits, accessed 16 September 2026. mzp.gov.cz
11. European Central Bank: Euro foreign exchange reference rates, 16 September 26. ecb.europa.eu
12. Federal Law Gazette 2026 I No. 207: Packaging Law Implementation Act (VerpackDG), Section 46, published on 17 July 26. recht.bund.de
13. Wikipedia: Deposit on beverage containers, as at 26 August 26. de.wikipedia.org
14. Consumer Advice Centre: Questions and Answers: Everything you need to know about one-way deposits and can deposits, accessed 16 September 2026. verbraucherzentrale.de
15. German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK): Information sheet: The new European Packaging Regulation – Regulation (EU) 2025/40, accessed 16 September 2026. dihk.de
16. ACQUA REAPER: Product specifications, 14 September 26.