On this page
Netherlands: a deposit indication, and a disposal guide that is not a statute
The Netherlands requires covered deposit containers to carry a clear and indelible deposit indication, implemented through the national logos and barcode system. The Weggooiwijzer disposal icons remain voluntary and do not certify recyclability. Harmonised Union labels apply later under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.
The question this report answers
The Netherlands has mandatory deposit identification for covered plastic beverage bottles and metal cans, and no universal national sorting label for ordinary packaging. Article 15 of the Packaging Management Decree requires a clear and indelible indication of deposit on covered packaging. The operational system uses the Statiegeld Nederland logos and a registered barcode. Small plastic bottles have carried deposit since 1 July 2021 and cans since 1 April 2023.
The Weggooiwijzer is a separate voluntary disposal guide administered by Verpact and supported by KIDV. It provides component-level instructions for paper, glass, PMD, residual waste and other routes. The system was refreshed in 2025 and has a 2026 logo set, but use remains voluntary. KIDV expressly states that correct disposal does not guarantee that a package is sorted or fully recycled. Collapsing the deposit indication, the Weggooiwijzer and the future Union pictogram into one “Dutch recycling label” is the error this report is written to prevent.
Legal status at a glance
| Requirement | Status | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit indication and registered barcode | mandatory | Covered plastic bottles and cans carry the applicable deposit identifier and machine-readable product code. |
| Weggooiwijzer icons | voluntary | The component-level disposal guide is free to use under Verpact rules but is not a universal statutory requirement. |
| Specified EU single-use-plastic mark | mandatory | Certain plastic-containing cups and products carry the harmonised marking required under the EU SUP framework. |
| PPWR harmonised material label | adopted; not yet applied | The future Union system begins on the later Article 12 date. |
The deposit indication that is already law
Covered containers must show the applicable deposit indication clearly and indelibly. Government consumer guidance states that deposit cans are recognised by the special barcode and the “statiegeldblik” logo; plastic bottles use the deposit logo and registered product identification. The mark enables consumers and return infrastructure to identify eligible packaging. The exact product must be registered before market placement. A foreign barcode or logo copied from another deposit market does not establish Dutch participation. Export-only products should not display a Dutch refund entitlement. Producers and importers bear the operational responsibility, while retailers and return points have collection duties. The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate supervises deposit obligations.
Weggooiwijzer as disposal guidance, not certification
Weggooiwijzer icons identify each packaging component and its intended disposal route. Separate icons are used where components go to different streams, in the order the consumer encounters them. Applications for logo files are made by the brand owner or the company placing the packaging on the market, and use is free under Verpact’s rules. The logos apply only to the Dutch market because municipal collection and sorting settings differ internationally. They communicate disposal, not a recyclability certification. An unqualified “recyclable” headline is not licensed by the selection of a correct bin icon.
The Netherlands also applies the harmonised EU single-use-plastic marking to defined cups, wet wipes, sanitary products and tobacco products containing plastic. That product-specific mark communicates plastic presence and improper-disposal risk. It is not the Weggooiwijzer. Product scope must be checked against the EU implementing regulation and Dutch rules. Environmental representations remain subject to unfair-commercial-practices and advertising law. Deposit participation, EPR financing and technical recyclability are distinct propositions.
The Union labels still to come
The PPWR generally applies from 12 August 2026, while the harmonised material-composition label starts later under Article 12. Verpact’s updated voluntary icons anticipate future consistency but do not substitute for the eventual EU label. From 12 February 2027, Article 12(9) confines identification of EPR participation to a digital carrier. That rule is about EPR identification. It is not a repeal of the Dutch deposit indication, and it is not a command to treat Weggooiwijzer as already a statutory panel. Other authorities and self-regulatory bodies can address misleading claims independently of the Inspectorate’s deposit supervision.
Primary sources and verification
Government of the Netherlands. Packaging waste and deposit requirements. Government guidance
KIDV. Weggooiwijzer status, meaning and 2025 update. KIDV
Verpact. Weggooiwijzer logo files and 2026 set. Scheme source
Government of the Netherlands. Rules for single-use plastic products. Government guidance
European Union. Regulation (EU) 2025/40. EUR-Lex
Dutch legislation and current scheme specifications control. Last verified: 21 August 2026.