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Packaging rule · Austria · Deposit return

Austria deposit on single-use beverage containers

Deposit return rule covering plastic, metal in Austria, set by Austrian Federal Ministry (Climate/Environment). Applies since 1 January 2025.

By the SPI teamRule ID PR-AT-001Source consulted 13 October 2026Verified 13 October 2026
Sourced facts

The rule

Recorded from the official source named below. Rates and dates are as the source states them on the date it was consulted.

Jurisdiction
Austria
Authority
Austrian Federal Ministry (Climate/Environment)
Rule type
Deposit return
Materials
Plastic, Metal
Status
In force Enacted
Rate or target
0.25 EUR/containerProducts filled before 1 April 2025 could be sold without deposit until 31 Dec 2025.
Adopted or published
25 September 2023
Applies from
1 January 2025
From the source

“€ 0,25 je Verpackung”

Official source RIS: Pfandverordnung für Einweggetränkeverpackungen, BGBl. II Nr. 283/2023Official (government or regulator) · consulted 13 October 2026

Deadlines

Key dates

  1. Adopted or published 3 years ago

  2. Applies from 1 year and 9 months ago

  3. Source consulted by the SPI team 1 day ago

  4. Re-checked by a second SPI team member 1 day ago

SPI analysis

What it means

SPI analysis Our reading of the official source above. Not legal advice; always rely on the official text.

SPI summary

Since 1 January 2025 Austria charges a EUR 0.25 deposit on single-use plastic and metal beverage containers from 0.1 to 3 litres.

In practice

Since 1 January 2025 Austria charges a EUR 0.25 deposit on single-use plastic and metal beverage containers of 0.1 to 3 litres. Producers and importers register with the central body, register each container type, pay producer contributions and mark containers with a barcode and the deposit symbol. Retailers take back containers and refund deposits. Beverages filled before 1 April 2025 could be sold without deposit until 31 December 2025, so that transition is now over.

Where the record is unclear

  • Producer contribution levels are set by the central body and are not in the ordinance.
  • Whether the ordinance will be amended for PPWR deposit system requirements is not stated on the source.

Where it sits in the tracker

  • One of 1 packaging rules we track in Austria, of which 1 are deposit return rules.
  • In all, 7 deposit return rules are tracked across 6 jurisdictions. Compare them below

Company profiles that map to this rule

Companies whose SPI profile lists this rule in its regulatory exposure, based on where they report selling. Not company-reported.

SPI analysis

Overview

The Pfandverordnung für Einweggetränkeverpackungen, BGBl. II Nr. 283/2023, is a ministerial ordinance issued under sections 12b, 14, 14c, 23 and 28c of the Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz 2002 (AWG 2002) in agreement with the economy ministry1. Section 14c of the AWG, titled Pfand für Einweggetränkeverpackungen, is the statutory hook; the ordinance supplies the detail2. It was notified to the Commission under Directive (EU) 2015/1535 as 2023/148/A and states that it implements Directive 94/62/EC and Directive (EU) 2019/904 (sections 25 and 26)1.

Section 1 lists four aims: reaching collection targets of at least 80% from 2025, high-quality recycling, getting recyclate back into beverage containers, and less litter1. The ordinance builds the whole system around a single non-profit central body owned by producers and take-back parties, whose articles need ministry agreement (section 7); that body is EWP Recycling Pfand Österreich gGmbH13.

Money flows are fixed in the text. Unclaimed deposits and material revenue stay with the central body to fund its tasks (section 11), retailers receive a handling fee based on an external cost survey reviewed at least every three years (section 12), and the central body owns every container returned (section 15)1.

Duties

Who must do what

First placers (Erstinverkehrsetzer): fillers and importers

  • Register with the central body and register each container type with material, dimensions, volume, weight, colour and a sample (sections 21 and 22)1.
  • Charge the EUR 0.25 deposit on behalf of the central body and pay a per-container producer contribution set at least yearly by material; negative contributions are not allowed (sections 4 and 10)1.
  • Mark each container permanently with a barcode and the deposit symbol in the annex (section 6)1.
  • Report quantities placed on the market by barcode, and report recyclate use by 15 March, for PET bottles from 2025 and for all plastic bottles from 2028 (section 23)1.
  • Mail-order sellers without an Austrian seat delivering to Austria are covered (section 2)1.

Final sellers (Letztvertreiber)

  • Take back empties and refund the deposit during opening hours, by machine or by hand; shops without machines need only accept container types they sell, in usual quantities (section 5)1.
  • Online sellers, vending machine operators and postal shippers follow special rules and pay compensation fees (sections 5 and 10)1.

Central body (EWP Recycling Pfand Österreich gGmbH)

  • Run material, money and data flows, keep the register and reimburse refunded deposits at least monthly (sections 8, 13 and 21)1.
  • Reach separate collection of at least 80% by weight from 2025 and 90% from 2027, for plastic and metal alike (section 16)1.
  • Send recycling to plants that recycle to the highest technically feasible extent, and offer first placers sorted material at market price up to 90% of their share (sections 19 and 20)1.
  • Report to the ministry by 10 April each year and keep records for seven years (section 24)1.
Scope

Are you in scope?

Work through each question. The answers are the SPI team's reading of the sources cited.

  1. Is the drink in a single-use plastic or metal container of 0.1 to 3.0 litres?

    If yes
    It carries the EUR 0.25 deposit under section 4(1).
    If no
    Containers under 0.1 litres or over 3.0 litres, and glass, are outside.

  2. Is the drink milk or a dairy product?

    If yes
    Excluded under section 4(3).
    If no
    The deposit applies.

  3. Is it a glass or metal bottle with a plastic cap, a beverage carton, or a bottle for infant food or special medical purposes?

    If yes
    Section 3 takes it out of the definition of beverage container.
    If no
    Continue with the volume test.

  4. Are you the first to place the filled container on the Austrian market, including by mail order from abroad?

    If yes
    You are the first placer, with registration, contribution and marking duties.
    If no
    Your Austrian buyer is the first placer.

  5. Is the drink consumed on the premises of a restaurant or similar business?

    If yes
    Section 5(4) exempts that hospitality business from take-back for on-site consumption.
    If no
    Normal take-back duties apply.
Checklist

Compliance checklist

  1. Register company and container types

    By Before first placing on the market

    SPI analysis of the official text. Not legal advice; confirm with the text or counsel. Register with EWP Recycling Pfand Österreich and log every container type with the section 22 data and a sample.

    Evidence to keep Central body registration and approved container type list.

  2. Apply barcode and deposit symbol

    By Before first placing on the market

    Use the annex deposit symbol and a barcode the return machines can read; the 31 December 2025 sell-off for unmarked stock filled before 1 April 2025 has ended.

    Evidence to keep Artwork approvals per SKU.

  3. Report quantities and pay contributions

    By As the central body requires

    Report by barcode and pay the material-based producer contribution plus deposits collected.

    Evidence to keep Reports reconciled to invoices from the central body.

  4. Report recyclate use

    By 15 March each year

    PET bottles report from 2025; all plastic bottles from 2028.

    Evidence to keep Recyclate share per bottle type with supplier certificates.

  5. Set up retail take-back

    By Now

    Retailers decide between machines and manual take-back, and online or vending sellers check their compensation fee duty.

    Evidence to keep Take-back point register entry and handling fee statements.

  6. Plan for the 2027 step to 90%

    By 2027-01-01

    The section 16 rate rises from 80% to 90%, which may change contributions.

    Evidence to keep Annual contribution notices compared year on year.

Enforcement

Enforcement and penalties

Who enforces
Administrative penal authorities under the AWG 2002; the central body polices the system through its inspection concept
Powers
The central body had to submit an inspection concept by 1 July 2025 and may use independent third parties (section 8). Breaches of the ordinance are administrative offences under the AWG 2002.
Enforcement so far
SPI knows of no published penalty decision under the ordinance as of 14 October 2026.

Penalties

BreachPenaltyLegal basis
Breaches of an ordinance issued under the AWG 2002, including this oneAmounts not confirmed; set in section 79 AWG 2002Section 79 AWG 2002 (Strafhöhe)2

The ordinance itself contains no fine1. Penalty ranges sit in section 79 of the AWG 2002, titled Strafhöhe, in the consolidated version of 13 October 2026 last amended by BGBl. I Nr. 84/20242. SPI has not yet confirmed the current euro ranges against that section.

Connections

How it fits with other rules

Timeline

History of the rule

  1. Draft notified to the Commission under Directive (EU) 2015/1535 as 2023/148/A.

  2. Ordinance published as BGBl. II Nr. 283/2023; it enters into force the day after (section 27).

  3. EUR 0.25 deposit starts; PET bottle recyclate reporting begins.

  4. Containers filled from this date must carry the deposit.

  5. Deadline for the central body's inspection concept.

  6. Last day to sell deposit-free containers filled before 1 April 2025.

  7. Today

  8. Collection target rises to 90% by weight.

  9. Recyclate reporting extends to all plastic bottles.

Questions

Questions

How much is the Austrian deposit?

The deposit is EUR 0.25 per single-use plastic or metal beverage container of 0.1 to 3.0 litres, charged since 1 January 2025. It is collected on behalf of the central body, EWP Recycling Pfand Österreich gGmbH.

Can old stock without the deposit still be sold?

No. Drinks filled before 1 April 2025 could be sold without the deposit only until 31 December 2025, so every covered container now needs the deposit symbol and barcode.

What collection rate must the system reach?

Section 16 requires separate collection of at least 80% by weight from 2025 and 90% from 2027, separately for plastic and metal. That is two years ahead of the PPWR's 2029 date for 90%.

Do foreign online sellers have duties?

Yes. Section 2 brings in mail-order sellers without an Austrian seat that deliver to Austria, so they register and pay contributions like any first placer, and online sellers also pay compensation fees.

Who keeps unclaimed deposits?

Under section 11, unclaimed deposits and material revenue stay with the central body to fund its tasks. Retailers are paid a handling fee reviewed at least every three years under section 12.

Glossary

Definitions

Erstinverkehrsetzer
The person who first places a filled beverage container on the Austrian market, including distance sellers without a seat in Austria (sections 2 and 3).1
Einweggetränkeverpackung
A single-use plastic or metal beverage container, excluding glass or metal bottles with plastic caps, special medical and infant food bottles, and beverage cartons (section 3).1
Handling Fee
The payment to take-back operators covering their average costs, set by the central body with the ministry on an external survey (section 12).1
Sources

Sources for this analysis

  1. RIS: Pfandverordnung für Einweggetränkeverpackungen, BGBl. II Nr. 283/2023 Official · Consulted 14 October 2026
  2. RIS: Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz 2002, consolidated version of 13 October 2026 (table of contents) Official · Consulted 14 October 2026
  3. EWP Recycling Pfand Österreich: home page Compliance scheme · Consulted 14 October 2026
  4. European Parliament Legislative Observatory: Regulation (EU) 2025/40 summary Consulted 13 October 2026

Written by the SPI team on 14 October 2026. Sources checked as of 14 October 2026. SPI analysis, not legal advice; always rely on the official text.

Audit trail

Change history

Verified: a second SPI team member re-checked every fact above against the source on 13 October 2026. Any later change to the facts sends the rule back to Sourced and is logged here.

  1. Verified by a second SPI team member

  2. Added to the tracker

Spotted an error? Write to sales@strategicpackaginginsights.com quoting PR-AT-001 and the source. Corrections are logged in this history.

Other jurisdictions

Deposit return rules elsewhere

The same type of rule for the same materials in other jurisdictions, by the date it applies.

RuleWhereTypeMaterialsStatusApplies from
Ireland Deposit Return Scheme (Re-turn)PR-IE-001IrelandDeposit returnPlastic, MetalIn force1 February 2024
Poland deposit return systemPR-PL-001PolandDeposit returnPlastic, Metal, GlassIn force1 October 2025
Portugal deposit and refund system (Volta)PR-PT-001PortugalDeposit returnPlastic, MetalIn force10 April 2026
Scotland deposit return scheme start moved to October 2027PR-GB-005Scotland, United KingdomDeposit returnPlastic, MetalAdopted, not yet applying1 October 2027
Deposit return scheme for drinks containers (England and Northern Ireland)PR-GB-004England, Northern Ireland, United KingdomDeposit returnPlastic, MetalAdopted, not yet applying1 October 2027
PPWR: 90% separate collection of beverage containers (deposit systems)PR-EU-007European UnionDeposit returnPlastic, MetalAdopted, not yet applying1 January 2029

Every deposit return rule in the tracker

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