Portugal has entered a new phase of environmental policy with the start of the beverage packaging Deposit and Return System, a measure that changes the single-use waste management model and reinforces the transition to a circular economy.

The launch session was held on 10 April at Campus XXI in Lisbon, where the Minister of Environment and Energy Maria da Graça Carvalho stressed that "it is a matter of habits and logistics. We must set up a different culture when it comes to waste. The practice we must engage in when it comes to waste for now is to decrease the amount of waste we make".

The system starts operating with a transition period up to August 2026, enabling a progressive adaptation by producers, distributors, and consumers, and ensuring a stable implementation without supply disruption.

During a first phase, plastic and metal packaging up to 3 litres are covered, identified through the "Volta" symbol. Consumers get a 10-cent deposit back for each packaging item returned to the collection points. The refund can be either through a digital cash-convertible voucher or by donating the amount to charity.

The measure arises in a context of pressure on the waste management systems and the need to meet European targets, which indicated a selective collection rate of 90% by 2029. The new model brings a direct incentive on returns and intends to change consume and throw-away patterns.

The response is based on investing in broadened responsibility of producers and mobilising the entire value chain with an investment of around 150 million euros, fully funded under the Broadened Producer Responsibility and borne by producers and packagers, without public funding. SDR Portugal, a non-profit entity, is charged with managing the system.