Deposits

Denmark has a compulsory deposit and return system. Packaging for beer and certain carbonated drinks, including soft drinks, alcoholised soft drinks (alcopops), energy drinks and cider is covered by the deposit scheme.

This means that any person who sells beer and certain drinks must charge a deposit on the packaging, and pay back the deposit to consumers who return the packaging. It is punishable for an outlet to not charge a deposit from its consumers.

The objective of the deposit system is:

• to reduce the volume of waste;
• to ensure reuse of the packaging material and protect the environment;
• fair competition, ensuring that the same drinks cannot be bought with and without a deposit.

Packaging is divided into two categories:

• Return bottles/refillable packaging (glass and plastic bottles that are washed and refilled with beer and soft drinks);
• Disposable packaging (cans as well as glass and plastic bottles that cannot be refilled, but where the material is reused).

You can have your outlet signed up as a return recipient at Dansk Retursystem A/S if you sell beer and drinks covered by the deposit scheme. If your outlet participates in the scheme, you can have disposable packaging collected free of charge, and have deposits from Dansk Retursystem paid out. Returned bottles are collected by the producer/importer which you must also settle the deposits with.