Deposit system 2026: What changes await us after the holidays?

In the autumn of 2026, the deposit system will be expanded to include, among others, so-called "małpki" (small-format alcohol bottles) and wine bottles, and the ministry is planning further changes covering other types of glass. In accordance with the pending amendment to the Act on Packaging and Packaging Waste Management, an obligation to return these packages will be introduced from September 1, 2026, with specific deposit rates still being the subject of arrangements between the Ministry of Climate and Environment and industry representatives. This mechanism is ultimately intended to seal the collection system, which has so far bypassed a significant part of the alcoholic beverage market.

Logistics of small-format glass

The implementation of new regulations after September 1, 2026, is a much more serious challenge for retailers than a simple update of shelf labels. Glass bottles, especially the popular "małpki," differ from PET bottles or aluminum cans in terms of weight, fragility, and volume. Owners of small and medium-sized shops must find additional space to store the raw material, which, unlike plastic, cannot be compressed on-site by a machine.

The current infrastructure, i.e., waste collection machines, is struggling with capacity limitations. Industry reports indicate that devices installed in many retail outlets are not technically adapted to accept such a wide range of glass packaging. More frequent machine maintenance is becoming inevitable. Deposit system operators signal that the need for more frequent glass collection will affect transport costs, which will ultimately burden the supply chain. Entrepreneurs emphasize that without refining return logistics, retail will face the paralysis that was warned about even before the system's launch in 2025.

The cost of handling new packaging categories remains a contentious issue. The Ministry of the Environment assumes that including further waste streams will improve recovery statistics, but the retail sector points to rising unit costs. Glass is heavier and more prone to damage than plastic. If transport is not optimized, logistics costs will translate into final product prices for the consumer. There is currently no official data defining exactly how retail margins will change after adding the costs of handling deposits for wine or "małpki."

Risk of a dual system and legal loopholes

Tensions between the ministry and entrepreneurs are intensifying. Interia Biznes pointed out on June 26, 2026, the risk of a so-called dual deposit system. This situation arises when conflicting segregation requirements function in parallel on the market, which confuses both the consumer and the seller. The lack of uniform guidelines for all retail outlets means that in one store a bottle is accepted without a problem, and in another – it is rejected by the system.

Another point of contention is plastic cans. WP Wiadomości reported on July 23, 2026, that the current wording of the regulations allows some types of packaging, including specific plastic constructions, to bypass the deposit system. This creates a legal loophole in which the manufacturer is not responsible for the life cycle of their product, and the burden of waste management falls on municipalities. The industry has been calling for months for the definition of "deposit packaging" to be standardized so that no category is treated leniently.

The lack of precision in the regulations means that a consumer standing in front of a machine often does not know whether they will get their money back for a given product. This uncertainty undermines trust in the entire mechanism. If the ministry does not eliminate the gray areas in the act before the autumn changes are introduced, the deposit system will become merely a source of frustration for citizens, rather than an effective tool for environmental protection. Officials must answer the question: why are some packages excluded from the system, even though their raw material composition does not differ drastically from those covered by the deposit?

Impact on Poles' wallets

The autumn course correction of the deposit system raises concerns about a real increase in waste disposal fees. Portal Samorządowy noted on June 26, 2026, that changes in the way packaging is returned after the holidays could have negative consequences for residents of municipalities that must quickly adapt their municipal infrastructure. There is a direct correlation between the efficiency of the deposit system and the amount of waste collection invoices.

Portal.Faktura.pl warned on July 7, 2026, that if the deposit system does not effectively take over glass waste, the costs of sorting and disposal will be shifted to municipalities, and consequently – to households. Instead of savings from raw material recovery, citizens may feel an increase in waste fees resulting from the need to cover shortfalls in the collection financing system. Uncertainty about the final amount of invoices is currently one of the biggest worries for local government officials.

Administratively expanding the list of packaging covered by a deposit without first securing the financing of return logistics may lead to a situation where ecological benefits are overshadowed by the economic burdens on consumers. Will the profits from raw materials returning to circulation balance these expenses? For now, there is no hard data confirming such a thesis, and voices from the waste industry tend toward pessimism. The costs of disposing of glass that does not end up in the deposit system, but lands in yellow or green containers for mixed waste, will become a burden on municipal budgets. Every municipality that fails to adapt to the new regulations in time may face the necessity of raising rates for its residents.

Perspective of 2027 and further ministry plans

Autumn 2026 is just the opening of a broader front of legislative actions. The Ministry of Climate openly declares that the ministry's ambitions do not end with "małpki" and wine bottles. According to reports from Biznes Wprost on August 7, 2026, officials are preparing the ground for further legislative steps. Subsequent types of glass that are to enter the system in 2027 require the government to have courage in facing the packaging lobby.

The successes mentioned by "Rzeczpospolita" on July 14, 2026, in the context of actions taken so far, seem to give the ministry a mandate to push for further changes. However, without a thorough analysis of the mistakes made at the launch of the system in 2025, expanding the scope of the deposit may only replicate current logistical problems on a larger scale. In 2027, further attempts to seal the Packaging Management Act should be expected. The key question will be whether the ministry decides on full digitalization of the return system, which could eliminate some of the problems with packaging verification, or remains with the current, imperfect technical solutions.

Citizens should prepare for the fact that the list of products covered by the deposit will systematically grow. Each subsequent packaging category will be a test for the endurance of retail and municipal infrastructure. The Ministry of Climate has not yet provided a schedule for 2027, however, unofficial information suggests including packaging for dairy drinks and juices in the system, which currently often end up in mixed waste. Will store infrastructure withstand such a load? For now, not even the deposit system operators, who are waiting for the final executive regulations to the act, know the answer to this question.

What does this mean in practice for the average consumer?

As a consumer, you will have to learn to recognize the expanded list of products subject to a deposit, which in practice means a more rigorous approach to segregating glass alcohol bottles. This change, although motivated by environmental protection, carries the risk of increased waste collection bills if the system proves too expensive to maintain. You are facing a transition period in which machines in stores may be even more crowded, and uncertainty about which packaging will be accepted may accompany daily shopping for the coming months.

It is worth noting that this situation will force Poles to change their shopping habits. The current freedom to throw wine bottles or "małpki" into general glass containers will be limited. From September 1, 2026, it will depend on the consumer's decision whether they recover the paid deposit. However, if the packaging is damaged or not recognized by the machine, the deposit will be lost, which will effectively become a hidden tax for the citizen.

Is it worth supporting these changes? From an ecological perspective, glass recovery is a highly desirable process, as this raw material can be processed almost indefinitely. From an economic perspective, however, the current model raises many controversies, especially in the context of logistical handling costs. Consumers should pay attention to whether transparent information about the added deposit will appear on receipts, which will be the first step to verifying the honesty of the system.

Questions and answers

What new products will be covered by the deposit in autumn 2026?

In the autumn, the deposit system will be expanded to include so-called "małpki" and wine bottles, in accordance with the plans of the Ministry of Climate and Environment, which intends to include these categories in the Act on Packaging and Packaging Waste Management from September 1, 2026.

Why is the industry warning against the changes?

The retail and waste industry fears the logistical costs of handling glass, the risk of a dual deposit system, and problems with packaging such as plastic cans, which currently bypass the system's requirements and generate ambiguities in the segregation process.

Will the deposit system affect my waste bills?

Yes, there is a real risk of an increase in waste collection fees, because the costs of adapting municipal infrastructure to the new requirements may be shifted to residents by municipalities in the form of higher waste disposal rates, as warned by analyses from industry portals.

Is this the end of expanding the system?

No, the Ministry of Climate openly declares that autumn 2026 is only the beginning of legislative actions, and in 2027, one should expect the inclusion of further types of glass packaging in the return mechanism, although a detailed list of products for the next year has not yet been officially published.

How much exactly will I pay as a deposit for a bottle of wine or a "małpka"?

At this moment, the ministry has not provided fixed deposit amounts for these packaging categories. These rates will be the subject of further negotiations with the industry and will be specified in the executive regulations to the act, which are to be published before September 2026.