| Mobile version, European legislation on single-use plastic. We provide online services to make #expat life easier. "On average, single-use PET bottles in Germany contain 26% of recycled material," Fischer said. Coca-Cola lost $4billion overnightbut Ronaldo missed an open goal, In homage to people who understand things, People demand Action & Proof of Sustainability & Social business efforts, Restoring Fire for Cultural and Ecological Benefits, Floridas Water Quality Crisis Worsened by Current Stewardship, 3 Surprising Facts To Know Before Getting A Saree, This is America's newest rising sport whether you like it or not, Cannabis Jobs in America: 3 Takeaways from the Leafly Job Report, The benefits of Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapy According to Tony Robbins Life Force. "Even better, however, is to avoid waste altogether. The amount at the bottom is the cash you get back from recycling your bottles. In the case of wholesalers, there is an extra step in the chain as he passes this on to individual retailers such as your local kiosk. Have you been frowned at by a German when crushing an empty beer can or throwing a water glass bottle in a glass container? Every shop selling bottles and cans withPfandneeds to accept bottle returns; however, only of those types of bottles, they sell. These few exceptions aside however, generally speaking, unless the label is illegible, these machines will accept what you put in there as long as they are Einwegflaschen. Coca-Cola's use of reusable bottlesslipped from 56% to 42% in 2015, according to figures from the DUH. Single-use bottles by law carry a higher deposit, meaning that a 25 cent deposit is levied on the sale of these bottles. Drinks cans also carry a 25 cent deposit too and are treated in the same way i.e. Once you return the empty bottle, you are refunded this deposit, and the bottles get recycled or reused. 
Only the labels and the lid are not made of 100%recycled plastic, they say. The likes of Aldi, Lidl, Coca Cola and Pepsi must be coerced into doing what the law intended it to do. Anything other than returning the empties to the place where you purchased them from, with a valid receipt, is based on goodwill from the party you are returning them to. Banner vector created by pch.vector www.freepik.com. With this article, we will make Pfand in Germany easy for you. There is no closed loop whereby material canbe converted into a new productindefinitely without losing any of its properties. Doesn't make a lot of sense, and even said supermarkets must be cottoning on, because they are also starting to sell cloth bags for the same purpose. We publish TIPS and GUIDES particularly tailored for EXPATs living in Germany, so you can Live Like a Local in Germany. It doesnt have to be the same place where you bought it. The total deposit that you make will be deducted from your final receipt. If youre in Germany, its essential to know that all beverage containers, whether they are full or empty, must be registered with the Pfand system. Therefore, you should not be surprised if someone else leaves their bottle nearby- the collector will eventually collect it. It's for the sake of hygiene, manufacturers have been known to note. If I were sat in the Kanzleramt, I would do the following: Firstly, I would make any bottles sold at train stations, street festivals and places where people cant conveniently just go and give back their empties deposit-free. You can usually find kiosks selling cold beer at lower prices than restaurants or bars but pricier than supermarkets. Finally, every single outlet which sells drinks in Mehrwegflaschen MUST be legally obliged to accept EVERY SINGLE brand and bottle shape and give back deposits. These bottles are usually made of glass or thicker plastic and will be refilled up to 50 times before they get recycled. We use cookies to improve our service for you. Look for these keywords on the label and on the container. If you see a machine with a stop sign on its display, empty the machine before continuing. (03.07.2019), As the EU waves through the single-use plastics ban, broadly shuns fracking and pushes for decarbonization by 2050, plans for a wholesale contradiction involving INEOS and US ethane are underway in the city of Antwerp. It must not accept container types it doesn't sell. Plastic carriers have not been banned in Germany, although some shops have taken it on themselves to stop offering them. "We support well-designed, industry-owned deposit return schemes across Europe where no proven successful alternatives exist,"Wouter Vermeulen, senior director of Coca-Cola public policy center for Europe, told DW in an email. They dont have multi-million Euro contracts with Aldi and Lidl that the likes of Coca Cola and Pepsi do, and rely heavily on the Getrnkemarkt wholesalers for their business, most of whom deal in multi-use bottled product. Supermarkets The next option is available at supermarkets installed bottle return machines. Glass bottles in Germany can be reused as many as 50 times. When you purchase a new bottle, drop the old one off at one of the designated return stations, and receive a refund for your deposit (usually around 10%). This deposit is then passed on directly to the customer in the form of a surcharge. If one place does not accept all your bottles, try a different place. Expatica helps make your expat journey the experience you've always wanted. Since we are in Germany, things are never simple (no pun intended ), and there are, of course, different types ofPfandsystems for different kinds of bottles.
But big companies that have long opposed the introduction of deposit systems are beginning to change their position. In that case, you will be allowed to place the bottles on your conveyor belt, and the cashier will manually count and dispose of each bottle in big cardboard. In early 2015, Coca Cola announced that it would over time phase out multi-use bottles in favour of one-time use, citing the high logistics costs of collecting the multi-use bottles and holding free storage space for them. Bring your Pfand receipt to any beverage stores and get your deposit back no questions asked. It's Saturday morning and people are queuingwith bags full of bottles and cans at a supermarket in the German city of Cologne. In addition, material is lost in every recycling process, according to the DUH. If smaller, regional drinks companies are acting responsibly and in doing so they are being disadvantaged, clearly this is not perfect competition, as an economist would understand it to be. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. When returning them, they need to be in the same condition as when you purchased them-meaning they cannot be crushed or without a label. That's not to say it would taste good or necessarily be nutritious, but it is testimony to the natural nature of many make-your-own potions, lotions and creams. While most consumers in Germany now recognize whether a bottle is single or multi-use,42% of peoplestill think that all deposit bottles including single-use bottles are refilled, according to a recent survey. Contact If you click these links and purchase a service or a product then we may earn a small commission, without any extra cost to you. Most 500mL bottles of soft drink carry a 0.15 deposit, whilst the 1.5L ones carry a 0.25 deposit. However, there are some circumstances in which multi-use bottles may be more environmentally friendly than standard disposable ones for example, if they are correctly recycled. Therefore, I thought I would write a step-by-step guide to Pfand to take the fear out of recycling your bottles. Deposit systems' infrastructure, particularly for reusable bottles, makes its introduction challenging. Single-use containers will be destroyed and recycled. In doing so, this reduces the average CO2 emissions per bottle in circulation because fewer new bottles have to be manufactured. And not a tube or plastic bottle in sight. The retailer. You can easily tell this by looking at the label to see if it contains the description PET. The next option is available at supermarkets installed bottle return machines. Standard beer crates have a deposit of 3.10 (if you return them with all 20 empties). Pfand is a system that stands for deposit in German, where you are charged a deposit on top of the price of certain bottles and cans, which is then refunded to you once the bottle is returned empty. Keep in mind that these locations are most commonly used to return deposits, but there may be other options. The horizontal white line (left bottle) is a sign that the bottle has been reused. But even solid shampoos and conditioners are becoming easier to get hold of. Cesar Sanchez, a spokesperson forRetorna, a Spanish NGO pushing for bottle deposit schemes, believes this is a response to social pressure and stricter European legislation on single-use plastic by 2029, 90%of plasticbottles must be collected separately for recycling. Its an inconvenience, and it turns customers off buying them. Some people collect empty bottles to earn a bit of money. It is a convenient and easy system for shoppers, as it does not require extra effort. German state environment agency UBA said there is no silver bullet for all countriesand that each context has to be closely evaluated to decide what works best. There are one or two exceptions: They will not accept foreign bottles or crates, even if the shape and form is identical to those you bought in Germany. Germanys bottle recycling system, Pfand, is one such thing. If a store is larger than 200 m, it must accept containers from all brands, not just the brands it sells. Further reading: If you found this guide helpful and would like to learn about other unique things in Germany, please refer to our Living in Germany section. Oh yeah, and the supermarkets would be open on Sundays too. when it can no longer be reused in its original form. "Compared to the situation a few years ago, we use up to 70% less virgin PET material," a Lidl spokesperson told DW. Bottles and cans withoutPfandtypically are: It would be best if you disposed of the milk and juice containers in your houses yellow trash. If there is no logo, a smaller brewery probably made the product. Legal notice | 2022 All About Berlin Disclaimer: Live in Germany provides information based on our research and experiences. If you move around the world by choice, consider helping those forced from their homes by conflict. because you genuinely could eat it all. It tells you if the bottle has a Pfand. When you buy certain products, you pay a deposit (Pfand) for the container. The cashier deducts this amount from your bill. These can be refilled up to 25 times for the plastic variety and up to 50 times for glass. Recycling bottles was one of these scary tasks for me when I first moved here. "Society is demandingsolutions and I think deposit return schemes will soon arrive inSpain and all other countries,"he said. Secondly, I would make all retail outlets larger than a sole-trading kiosk or small general store sell only Mehrwegflaschen, as an acknowledgement to the environmental concerns of one-way plastic bottles and to drive home the original reason to implement such a law in the first place. Then press the green button next to the other circular hole. But customers buying a bottle of cola, let's say, pay the deposit with the VAT included. Of course, there are strict health regulations for the refilling process.
Single-use containers usually have a higher Pfand than multiple-use containers1. For example, beer bottles rarely have a Pfand symbol. But if that's an (understandably) acquired taste too far, it's possible to get hold of minty tooth tabs either loose or in paper bags. It confuses the hell out of people why certain places dont pay Pfand on certain bottles. This guide shows you how to relocate to Berlin.
These days, the country boasts a returns rate of above 98%. Once in Munich, however, I was shouted at by a nearby resident. Do not worry, we will not SPAM you. Plastic multi-use bottles in all shapes have a deposit of 15 cents. If this is not possible or if you are unable to speak to an employee, be sure to request their help before leaving. The program offers bottle return stations across the country, and there are usually coupon books for participating stores available at those locations. Beware, though, that you should not throw bottles in there on Sundays or a holiday, as these are official silent days. 
Between 8 and 25 cents. Generally, people are more likely to return multi-use bottles because often they are sold in crates, and carry the whopping 3.00+ crate deposit on them (the exact amount depends on the type of product) which makes it worth your while to return. What's not to like? We understand the struggle of foreigners in Germany, therefore our aim is to provide a platform, which covers all the important topics for Expats. In real life this means, you can return your bottles at the following places: We hope you have a better understanding of what thePfandsystem in Germany is and how it works. Youll usually find it near the entrance to the supermarket. Its essential to be mindful of how much youre spending and recycle any empties if possible, as Bottle Deposit legislation exists in Germany. "It would also be possible to develop these containers for jam or honey," Fischer said. "If we want to be competitive, we have to offer our drinksin discount stores," Uwe Kleinert, head of sustainability at Coca-Cola Germany, told DW. But they're not buying. Look for the odd-looking Pfand machine below. Bottom line is, do not throw your money away, by putting bottles with a deposit in the trash. The deposit system for both reusable and single-use bottles saves raw materials, energy and CO2 emissions mainly because it reduces the fossil fuels used to produce new bottles, Gerhard Kotschik, packaging expert with UBA, told DW. Therefore, you should not be surprised if someone else leaves their bottle nearby- the collector will eventually collect it. As a rule of thumb, you can return yourPfandflaschenwhere you bought them. The label will say Pfand-Glas if the bottle has a Pfand, and it will not say anything else. This encourages people to return their empty bottles. by Live in Germany Team | Last updated Jun 21, 2022 | Life in Germany. In Dusseldorf, where we live, we still do it , and we never received a complaint. The likelihood of that bottle making its way back to that specific retailer is slim. Put your bottles and cans into the round hole at the top, bottom first. To receive our newsletter and exclusive content, sign up here! They can, and must, absorb the inconvenience of accepting other outlets bottles. In Germany, however, many of Coca-Cola's beverages do appear in reusable plastic bottles, and some in glass. Independent retailers and gas stations lose out here because they pay the 0.25 deposit plus 19% value-added tax to product wholesalers. When going through the checkout to purchase your groceries, hand this receipt to the cashier. It's time Germany joined the list, says DW's Tamsin Walker. So far, so good. We're not done yet! Retailers must mark whether bottles are single or multi-use on their store shelves, but for a shop or supermarket selling only single-use bottles, one sign in-store is enough. The first, which have producer-set deposit prices ranging from 0.08 to 0.25 ($0.29), canbe reused multiple times and can be made from glass or PET plastic. And is it a model other countries could follow? Love podcasts or audiobooks? At the end of 2012, this had reduced to 46%, with the trend heading downwards. The logic for this is that the higher deposit should act as a disincentive. This way, we stay motivated and bring you all you need to know about Germany. While this is an option, we recommend using the coupons that come with the machines as it will save on future costs. Not closed Sundays. It allows us to keep Simple Germany alive and striving. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. There are also single-use bottles, or Einwegflaschen as they are known in German. Disclaimer: Simple Germany refers to helpful services and does not provide a complete market overview. The unofficial Pfandsammler If you leave bottles with deposits next to trash cans, it is essential to know that this is a common practice in Germany and has become an underground system of deposit collectors. Well, there are two possibilities lets discuss each of them. It came into being to encourage drinks companies to supply their product in multi-use, refillable plastic or glass bottles. There, it iscleaned, refilled and delivered back to a shop shelf for repurchase. For 500mL soft drink bottles, the deposit is 0.15, and for 1.5L ones, its 0.25. 
Related Guide: How to separate trash in Germany? With 16.4billion single-use bottles floodingthe German drinks market every year, the 1.5% that are never taken back can translate into profits of as much as 180 million for retailers. Supermarkets still have rolls and rolls of those thin plastic bags for customers to use to carry fruit and veg home. And for all their hard exterior, they have a soft touch. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. It can be hard to return certain types of bottles. Once there, the vast majority are immediately disposed of. In many discount supermarket, Coca Cola and Pepsi sell their products in 0.5 litre or 1.25 litre bottles which are single-use. The information provided on this blog is based on our own experience and in-depth research. Suppose the recycling machine is not broken/defective, but you only have one other device left. In Berlin, you can leave your empty bottles next to a trash can. The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. Who profits from this? Though forconsumers, thePfandsystem is a simple case of putting empties into a machine, what happens thereafter is a bit more complex. Glass beer bottles of 0.33 or 0.5 litre of have a deposit of 8 cents. Single-use bottles are regulated by law and everybody who sells them must accept the return of empties. When a refillablebottle of, say, cola, is returned to the supermarket, it marks the start of a long journey. Welcome to recycling in Germany andthe bottle and can deposit (Pfand)system. On these, the deposit price isfixed by the government at 0.25. Sometimes, it's written directly on the container. Keep your receipt! Privacy Policy | They don't all smell divine either, but they serve a purpose. Do not worry, we will not SPAM you. Or specifically, whether they are single-use or multi-use bottles. But here is where they made a real dogs dinner of the German Pfandsystem legislation. For a faster bottle recycling experience, make sure the barcode is facing upwards. Clearly they are not acting environmentally friendly way, so the Pfand system must be designed in such a way to force their hand. They regulate the sale and return of plastic and glass bottles, as well as aluminium cans. Seeing these logos or words such as Eineweg or Einwegflasche can identify them as 25 cents each deposit. There are two types of containers with a deposit: single-use (Einweg) and multiple-use (Mehrweg). Juice, milk, wine and spirits sold in glass or plastic bottles are not subjected to legally enforceable deposits. Yvonne was born and raised in Germany and has lived in the United States, France, and Spain. This system determines what each bottle is worth and outlines proper recycling procedures. Where to claim your Pfand deposit in Germany. Terms & conditions If you can return Einwegflaschen anywhere, but you have to think and plan where you take your Mehrwegs back to, is it really a surprise that consumers are turning their back on the environmentally friendly option? Covering topics such as housing & relocation, dealing with bureaucracy, work & employment, learning German as well as everyday life in Germany through the eyes of an expat & guest bloggers. Ill let you all know when Im running for office. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, without costing you a cent extra. Privacy policy Simple Germany is a trademark registered in the European Union. The second are single-use containers, which as the name suggests, are only used once before they're recycled. Stores must clearly write down if the bottles are single-use (einweg) or reusable ones (mehrweg). How Pfand System works in Germany Bottle Deposits [2022]. The environmental impact of using standard disposable bottles and cans is more significant than using reusable ones. were multi-use bottles. The Pfand system in Germany is a deposit-based recycling program that encourages people to recycle their plastic bottles. We are not certified, consultants or brokers. Single-use bottles follow a different path. Environmental organizations such as the German NGO Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) criticize this as insufficient. A drinks wholesaler transports it to a sorting facility with a truckload of empties, where it is put with other bottles of the same shape before being taken to a producerthat usesthat particular type of bottle. Simple Germany provides English content to help internationals beat German bureaucracy and settle into life in Germany more smoothly. Donate Given their destiny, the need to wrap them in plastic reads like one of life's little mysteries. Most places where you buy bottles and cans with the Pf and include a return policy. There are mainly two types of Pfand in Germany.
To dispose of the bottles, you should use the glass containers on the streets in your neighborhoods. Production of most of thesebottles also still requires raw materials derived from fossil fuels. Learn on the go with our new app. According to a recent Spiegel article, at the time the law came into force, 64% of all bottles purchased were refilled i.e. Get ourFREEguide with 7 actionable hacks to save money while living in Germany. Certain types of promo non-standard sized bottles may also cause you issues. When you buy certain bottles and cans in a supermarket or at a kiosk in Germany, you will pay a deposit(Pfand)on top of the product price. You can return Pfand bottles at the following places: Beverage stores Since Pfand is a mandatory government-issued refundable deposit on every bottle and can sell in Germany, its always worth getting your money back if youre unhappy with the product. You can find more information in our data protection declaration. These bottles are made up of glass and plastic, and each one has its own set of regulations. Upon purchase, you can spot thePfandon the shelves price tag, as it is listed separately from the product price. Berlin now has two shops that sell unpackaged ingredients for making your own cosmetics and cleaning products, and the internet has an endless supply of suggested combinations for soft, sweet-smelling skin. This happens when a bottle has reached its refill quota, i.e. Single-use containers are typically more expensive than multiple-use containers. Do you like to know more about it then subscribe below and getup-to-date informationabout life in Germany? The deposit for these bottles varies between, Seeing these logos or words such as Eineweg or Einwegflasche can identify them as. No, you can return it to any of the return places which we mentioned above. These you probably know best as your cheap 6-pack of 1.5 litre mineral water bottles from your local supermarket. Put in all your bottles, one after the other, until your bag is empty. For example, Aldi and Lidl only sell single-use (Einweg) bottles, so they don't accept multiple use (Mehrweg) bottles1. Multi-use bottles are: The deposit for these bottles varies between 8 to 15 cents per bottle and you can identify them by the following logos or words such as Pfand-Glas, Mehrwegflasche or Mehrweg-Pfandflasche. Even little tasks can seem difficult when youve just moved abroad and not used to doing things a certain way. Keeping clean doesn't have to involve a row of plastic bottles. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. Some places place them inside the actual supermarket. She understands the struggle of settling in a new home and is happy to share simple services and tips on how things are done in her home country, to help expats get their German experience started. "We always recommend buying reusable beverage containers from the region," Kotschik told DW, adding that recycling only becomes the best option once a bottle has reached its refill quota. You make their job easier, because they don't need to search inside the trash bin. These liquid soaps and cleaning liquids on the other hand are not for drinking. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. Make the extra effort to return them, where you bought them, and use the deposit coupon for your next purchase.
This is based on the Pfand (deposit) you paid when you bought your bottles. Even in Germany, environmental groups are pushing for the deposit scheme to be rolled out to include all kinds of glass and carton packaging, such as Tetra Paks. If this guide was helpful to you, and saved you time of research, please consider supporting this website bybuying us a coffeeas a small donation. You can usually find kiosks selling cold beer at lower prices than restaurants or bars but pricier than supermarkets. The intention is good but like many aspects of German bureaucracy, the law is not well thought through. Donate to the UN Refugee Agencytoday.
Bottles and cans have a more significant ecological impact than reusable containers because they are less stable plastics that can damage more when recycled. You can unsubscribe whenever you want. Multiple-use containers will be cleaned up and reused. Hopefully, this guide to Pfand takes all the fear and uncertainty out of your first recycling experience and youll be able to do it as if youve been recycling bottles this way for years. Edited by: Tamsin Walker and Jennifer Collins, When the EU finally committed to banning an array of single-use plastics in March, it became part of a growing plastic-free movement that is seeing similar bans imposed from Vanuatu to Canada and Tanzania. Most machines have a bottle return machine where you can deposit your unwanted plastic bottles and cans for recycling. You can return them at any store that sells them, and you will get some money back. The empty bottles are recycled or reused. The different bottle types and deposits in Germany. Companies that make and fill their own bottles are the ones that profit from single-use emptiesthat aren't returned, said Jrgen Ziegner, head of the ZTG, the German association representing service stations. Therefore we recommend doing your own research before proceeding further with any service or product. It ranged between 8 & 25 cents. Such a glass bottlecan be refilled up to 50 times without losing quality, the state-run German Environment Agency (UBA) says. How to get rid of your old clothes and shoes in Berlin. This is another anomaly where the law is inconsistent.
The wholesaler or retailer pays a deposit to the producer. Anyone who buys a beverage from a retailer participating in the system must pay a pfand, which helps fund the program. Kiosks, Bddchen or Sptis Germany is a country where beer is trendy. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. The drinks manufacturer fills his product, for example, beer or water, into these bottles. Go to your local supermarket and youll find that the automated machines which accept the returned bottles will take 99% of what you throw in there, provided its a bottle with a valid German Pfand label and barcode on it. According to the company, it uses recycled PET. This, however,has led to thegrowing popularity of single-use items. Single-use bottles and cans typically are: The deposit for these bottles and cans is always 25 cents each and you can identify them by the following logos or words such as Einweg or Einwegflasche. Germany is a country where beer is trendy. E-book and expat city guides coming soon. Thebusiness is becoming so lucrative that Lidl has even set up its own recycling group. But how exactly does it work? (28.06.2019), As the world celebrates International Plastic Bag Free Day, a growing number of countries are using legislation to eradicate these single-use items. Accessibility Statement | The Pfand system is a big part of sorting your trash in Germany. Sometimes, there is a logo on the label, near the barcode. There are two types of bottles in Germany's Pfand system. The environmental gain of recycling is rubbished if you have to drive back to the place you purchased the stuff from with the vehicle emissions that entails. Glass bottles can be recycled up to 50 times before they get thrown away, while plastic bottles may only last for around 10-12 recycling. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. You can return the Pfand bottles in all those shops where you find such stickers or Pfand symbol or if you see a separate Pfand machine. With Pfand: "Pfand-Glas", "Mehrwegflasche". As end customers, we then pay this deposit, or Pfand, to the supermarket, kiosk, Getrnkemarkt or whoever and we get it back when we return the bottles.