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Poland: a deposit logo since October 2025, not a national sorting panel
Poland’s deposit-return system is operational. Covered plastic bottles, metal cans and reusable glass bottles must carry the statutory deposit logo and amount. Poland does not otherwise prescribe a universal national sorting label for ordinary packaging. Harmonised Union labels apply later under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. The system should be recorded as in force, not proposed.
The question this report answers
Poland’s national deposit-return system began on 1 October 2025 and is fully operational. It covers single-use plastic beverage bottles up to three litres, metal cans up to one litre and reusable glass beverage bottles up to 1.5 litres, excluding the statutory product categories. The deposit is PLN 0.50 for covered plastic bottles and cans and PLN 1 for reusable glass bottles. Packaging within the system carries the statutory deposit logo with the applicable amount. The mark must be clear, visible, legible, durable and contrasting and is placed on the label. A readable barcode and intact label allow return infrastructure to recognise the product. The initial unmarked-stock transition ended no later than 31 December 2025. Current market placements should not rely on it.
The Ministry states that deposit is collected and refunded only for packages bearing the Polish system logo. Export packaging should not carry the Polish deposit mark because no Polish deposit is collected through that sales chain. A foreign deposit logo does not substitute for Polish participation. Poland does not currently prescribe one national sorting panel for all ordinary packaging. Producer-responsibility, registration and reporting duties apply independently of the deposit logo.
Legal status at a glance
| Requirement | Status | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit-system logo | mandatory | Covered beverage packaging within the system carries the statutory mark clearly, visibly, legibly and durably on the label. |
| Deposit amount | mandatory | The mark states PLN 0.50 for covered plastic bottles and cans or PLN 1 for covered reusable glass bottles. |
| Readable barcode | mandatory / operational | Refund requires an intact label and readable barcode identifying registered packaging. |
| Universal Polish sorting label | none | The deposit logo does not extend to packaging outside the return system. |
| PPWR harmonised material label | adopted; not yet applied | The Union label applies on the later Article 12 timetable. |
What the Act puts on covered drinks
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Management Act and its amendments establish the system and reproduce the harmonised national artwork. Businesses introducing beverages in covered packaging participate through an authorised operator and apply the logo showing the refund amount. The mark is legally meaningful only on packaging within the Polish system. Product registration connects the barcode, package type and operator record. Consumers do not need a receipt, but the package must remain intact with an undamaged label and readable code.
Large shops above 200 m² have mandatory collection duties, while smaller shops may participate voluntarily subject to the statutory structure. Operators organise collection, accounts and producer compliance. These downstream duties do not transfer the producer’s responsibility for correct package identification. The introducer placing covered beverages on the Polish market bears the producer-side system duties, commonly acting through an authorised operator. Importers and foreign distance sellers should determine who qualifies as the introducer. The Ministry of Climate and Environment oversees the framework, with environmental inspection and other competent bodies exercising enforcement. Incorrect use of the logo, failure to participate, missing marks or deposit-accounting failures can trigger statutory consequences. Consumer-law controls apply to broader environmental claims.
What the mark is not, and the Union labels still to come
The deposit mark identifies a Polish refund route. It is not a recyclability assessment, and it is not a sorting instruction for cartons or other out-of-scope packaging. The PPWR generally applies from 12 August 2026, but the harmonised material-composition label starts on the later Article 12 date. 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 Polish deposit logo. The deposit mark and future EU material label communicate different information and may coexist.
Primary sources and verification
Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment. Deposit-system marking requirements and official artwork. Ministry guidance
Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment. Deposit system rules and operational status. Official system portal
Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment. English launch notice, 1 October 2025. Government notice
Polish Parliament. Deposit-system amendment to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Management Act. Official PDF
European Union. Regulation (EU) 2025/40. EUR-Lex
Polish legislation and official artwork control. Last verified: 21 August 2026.