Return deposit system for plastic bottles and metal cans
Plastic bottles and metal cans for beverages must be included in an approved return deposit system in order to be sold in Sweden. Here you can find information about the regulations that apply. The information is both for you who fill bottles and cans, import them or sell them in your shop.
Plastic bottles and metal cans that are part of a return deposit system must be marked with an indication of the return deposit system. The label must indicate which return deposit system the bottle or can is part of and the amount paid as a deposit when the bottle or can is returned to the return deposit system. The target is for as many bottles and cans as possible to be returned and turned into new packaging or other products.
Target group
Producers, retailers, wholesalers, shops, importers and manufacturers.
Good to know
You can check if the package is connected to a return deposit system by looking at the deposit mark that should be on the packaging. If the label is missing, the drink must be excepted from the regulations or have been exempted. Otherwise, you may not sell it.
Two different ways of being responsible for plastic bottles and metal cans
Your obligations depend on whether you are a producer of or sell beverages ready for consumption in plastic bottles or metal cans.
Obligations of producers
If you professionally import or manufacture beverages in plastic bottles and/or metal cans, you must ensure that the products are included in an approved return deposit system. If you as a producer have not done this, an environmental penalty fee of SEK 30,000 may be charged. This applies from 1 January 2024. One possibility is to start up a producer responsibility organisation yourself.
As a producer, you pay an annual enforcement fee to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
Obligations of retailers, shops and wholesalers
If you sell beverages in plastic bottles or metal cans, you must check that the bottles and cans have the correct marking and belong to an approved return deposit system for cans and bottles. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency makes unannounced supervisions and checks that these regulations are followed. If the regulations are not followed, you may have to pay environmental penalty fees.
Products to be included in the return deposit system
Examples of beverages in metal can or plastic bottles to be included in the return deposit system:
- Soft drinks
- Juice (both concentrate and ready to drink)
- Water
- Energy drinks
- Ciders
- Beer, wine and spirits
- Juices and fruit drinks (nectar and must, both concentrated and ready to drink)
- Shots and smoothies
- Oat drinks, almond drinks, soya drinks and similar beverages based on vegetables, cereals or legumes
- Chocolate and coffee drinks containing less than 50 percent dairy products
- Rosehip-, blueberry- and fruit-soups and other soups made out of juice
- Drinkable soups made out of vegetables, e.g. gazpacho
- Ready-mixed drink mix that can be drunk without additional ingredients
Products not required to be included in the return deposit system
Examples of beverages in metal cans or plastic bottles that do not need to be included in the return deposit system:
- Beverages in cartons or glass bottles are not affected by this system, but there are other regulations that apply to them
- Products in powder form such as coffee, tea, chocolate or soup
- Products used exclusively as flavorings, such as lemon or lime juice
- Coconut milk used for cooking
- Soups not intended for drinking
- Flavorings for sparkling water makers
- Syrup, infusers, extracts, drink mix and shots mix that cannot be drunk directly
- Tabasco and similar sauces
Until 31 December 2028, beverages containing 50% or more dairy products (such as smoothies, milkshakes or coffee drinks) will also be excluded.
It is possible to connect these products to the return deposit system, but it is not required.
Bottles and cans that do not need to be included in a return deposit system
Beverage containers made of plastic or metal that are 3 litres or larger are counted as kegs or cans and are not subject to the requirement to be part of a return deposit system.
Annual enforcement fee
A producer of plastic bottles and metal cans that are included in a return deposit system must pay a annual enforcement fee to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency based on the number of plastic bottles or metal cans placed on the Swedish market during the previous calendar year. The fee is:
- SEK 2,000 for 0-100,000 bottles or cans
- SEK 10,000 for 100,001-1,000,000 bottles or cans
- SEK 30,000 for 1,000,001-10,000,000 bottles or cans
- SEK 40,000 for more than 10,000,000 bottles or cans
The fee is intended to cover the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's supervisions. Supervision includes providing and administration a register of producers and ensuring compliance with the provisions on producer responsibility.
The labelling of products that are part of a return deposit system
The labelling of products that are part of a return deposit system
Sellers of beverages are obliged to check the labelling on the packaging. The labelling on the cans and bottles must show that you can deposit them. It should also state how much money you receive in return. If you're going to sell products that don't have a printed deposit marking, contact your returns system for help and more information.
Check the product through the EAN code
Not sure if a product is included in the return deposit system? Then you can test the EAN code via the link below or using the mobile app "RP EANScan".
This is what the deposit symbol looks like
The picture above shows what the deposit symbol looks like.
If you have products that are not included in the return deposit system
Products that are not part of an approved return deposit system may not be sold or given away in Sweden.
There are a few different things you can do if you have products that are not included in the return deposit system:
- Contact the supplier and agree to send the products back
- Contact an approved return deposit system to connect the product to the return deposit system
- Sell the product in a country other than Sweden
Exemptions from the return deposit system
Do you want to sell plastic bottles or metal cans that don't work in return deposit machines because of their material or size? Then you must apply for an exemption from the requirement that the product must be included in a return deposit system.
The goal is for all plastic bottles and metal cans to be included in a return deposit system. When the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency grants an exemption, it is so that you have time to adapt the packaging to the return deposit system. An exemption may be granted if there are special reasons regarding the design or material of the metal can or plastic bottle. Exemptions are therefore always time limited. Exemptions decided before 1 January 2023 remain valid.
The exemption only applies to the company that has received the exemption. If several companies sell the same product, they each need to have an exemption.
If you are exempted from being connected to a return deposit system, you must be connected to a collection system for packaging during the exemption period, which takes responsibility for the product when it becomes waste.
How to apply for an exemption
Your application must contain the following information:
- Certificate from Returpack stating that the product cannot be included in the return deposit system
- Which other collection system for packaging (e.g. TMR or FTI) is intended to take responsibility for collecting and processing this packaging to which the exemption relates when Returpack cannot do so
- Company name, organization number and postal address
- The name of the product, barcode (EAN) and volume of the can or bottle for which you are applying for an exemption
- Approximate number of cans or bottles to be sold and the time period for which they are to be sold
- A picture of the product
- Information about the measures you plan to adapt the packaging to the return deposit system
- The special reasons that you consider exist for your particular product to be exempted
The form of the application does not matter, as long as all the information is included. Send your application to:
Products exempted from return deposit system
Below is a list showing between which dates companies and products are exempt from the requirement to belong to an approved return deposit system.
The Wine Agency, 1 june 2023 - 31 july 2023.
- Colle Reale Rosso, 750 ml, plastic bottle, EAN (0)8032894063320
Moestue Grape Selections AB, 10 june 2022 - 9 june 2023
- Fläder Hantverkssnaps, 35 cl plastic bottle, EAN 07090041271128
Moestue Grape Selections AB, 10 june 2022 - 9 june 2023
- Fläder Hantverkssnaps, 35 cl plastic bottle, EAN 07090041271128
United Gross i Sverige AB, 23 feb 2023 - 30 june 2023
- Crown Mullbär Sirap 2,5 L PET-bottle, 444 bottles, EAN 5283012781425
- Crown Rose Sirap 2,5 L PET-bottle, 492 flaskor, EAN 5283012781418
- Crown Tamarind 2,5 L PET-bottle, 452 bottles, EAN 5283012781487
- Crown Jallap 2,5 L PET-bottle, 3028 bottles, EAN 5283012781401
Beer and Spirits Partners AB, 6 dec 2022 - 5 dec 2023
- Loch Avon Whisky, 700 ml PET-bottle, EAN 8006063902055
- Avon Whisky, 350 ml PET-bottle, EAN 8006063902062
SM Group AB, 1 jan 2023 - 31 dec 2023
- Vimto Real Fruit-Saft, 100 cl, plastic bottle, EAN 5010438013027
Wellnox Health AB, 1 jan 2023 - 31 dec 2023
- RÅ Ingefära Shot, 65 ml plastic bottle, EAN 7391603140440
- RÅ Gurkmeja Shot, 65 ml plastic bottle, EAN 7350088710487
- RÅ Frisk Shot, 65 ml plastic bottle, EAN 7350088710470
- RÅ Sommarshot Limitid Edition, 65 ml plastic bottle, EAN 7350088711453
- CK Ginger Shot, 65 ml plastic bottle, EAN 7350088711460
- RÅ Ingefära Shot EKO, 60 ml plastic bottle, EAN 7350088711200
- RÅ Gurkmeja Shot EKO, 60 ml plastic bottle, EAN 7350088711217
- RÅ Guarana Shot EKO, 60 ml plastic bottle, EAN 7350088711224
- RÅ Ingefära / Chili Shot EKO, 60 ml plastic bottle, EAN 7350088711477
Menigo Foodservice AB, 1 jan 2023 - 31 dec 2023
May only be sold to traders for use in their own business, not in stores to private individuals.
- Juice lime färskpressad 1 l, article number: 203598
- Juice citron färskpressad 1 l, article number: 203913
- Juice morot färskpressad 1 l, article number: 205326
- Juice rödbeta färskpressad 1 l, article number: 205632
- Juice grapefrukt blod färsk 1 l, article number: 204848
- Juice morot ingefära färskpressad 1 l, article number: 205365
- Juice apelsin färskpressad 1 l, article number: 203855
- Juice ananas färskpressad 1 l, article number: 203546
- Juice pumpa färskpressad 1 l, article number: 205407
- Juice blodgrape ingefära 1 l, article number: 204849
- Juice äpple färskpressad 1 l, article number: 205778
- Juice grapefrukt blond färsk 1 l, article number: 205279
- Juice citron/ingefära färsk 1 l , article number: 203955
- Juice rödbeta äpple ingefära 1 l , article number: 205721
- Juice ingefära färskpressad 1 l , article number: 205323
- Juice äpple ingefära färskpressad 1 l, article number: 205779
Fruity Line BV, 1 jan 2023 - 18 feb 2024
- Everfresh, Shot Ingefära, 60 ml, EAN 8718096154027
- Everfresh, Shot Gurkmeja, 60 ml, EAN 8718096154065
- ICA, Ingefära Shot, 60 ml, EAN 73163206
- ICA, Gurkmeja Shot, 60 ml, EAN 73163220
- ICA, Ingefära Spirulina Shot, 60 ml, EAN 73163275
- ICA, Ingefära Rödbeta Chili Shot, 60 ml, EAN 73163282
- Coop, Kallpressad Shot Ingefära, 60 ml, EAN 7300156582751
- Enjoy - Green Hill, Shot Ingefära, 60 ml, EAN 7350048801798
- Enjoy - Green Hill, Shot Ingefära, 60 ml, EAN 8718096154027
- Martin & Servera, Shot Ingefära, 60 ml, EAN 8718096154027
- Grönsakshuset I Norden AB, Draken, missing EAN, 60 ml, sold by Holy Greens Grönsakshuset
- Norden AB, Försvararen, missing EAN, 60 ml, sold by Holy Greens
Greenfood Fresh produce Int´l AB, 1jan 2023 - 31 dec 2023
- Spicy Shot, 12,5 cl plastic bottle, EAN 7312730102286
- Ingefärs shots, 12,5 cl plastic bottle, EAN 7312730102279
Nestlé Sverige AB, 1 jan 2023 - 31 dec 2023
- OptiXpress, 200 ml plastic bottle, EAN 7613287143877
Winemarket Nordic AB, 1 jan 2023 - 31 dec 2023
- Petite Belle (sparkling wine), 200 ml, aluminum can, EAN 6009611451489
Dfruit AB, 23 feb - 23 feb 2024
- Äpple Juice 100% Naturlig, PET bootle 25 cl, EAN 7350144900067
Supervision and environmental penalty fee
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency makes unannounced supervisions at stores and wholesalers, among others. During the supervision we check that plastic bottles and metal cans:
- are included in an approved return deposit system
- are marked with an approved deposit marking
If you sell cans or bottles that are not part of an approved return deposit system, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency may decide that you must pay an environmental penalty fee. The fee depends on how many packages you have and can be as high as up to SEK 50,000. Should a deviation be repeated within two years, the environmental penalty fee is doubled.
Penalties linked to labelling requirements
If an operator professionally transfers or sells beverages in plastic bottles or metal cans that are not part of a return deposit system and that are not labelled with an indication that the packaging is part of such a system, an environmental penalty fee must be paid:
- by SEK 1 000, if the infringement concerns 100 bottles or cans or less,
- by SEK 5 000, if the infringement concerns more than 100 bottles or cans but not more than 1 000 bottles or cans,
- by SEK 20 000, if the infringement concerns more than 1 000 bottles or cans but not more than 20 000 bottles or cans, and
- by SEK 50,000, if the infringement concerns more than 20,000 bottles or cans.