Expenses of having beverages in the returns and deposit system

What does it cost to have beverages registered in the return and deposit system?

It doesn’t cost anything to register your company. It is when you begin registering beverages in the return and deposit system, that costs start to apply.

Dansk Retursystem is a non-profit corporation.  As a producer or importer, you alone are responsible for covering the costs of operating the packaging in the deposit system.

One-way packaging expenses

Certain expenses must always be paid, while others only apply under certain circumstances. It is always required to pay packaging registration fee, deposit, operating fee (as an average fee) and the production cost for the deposit labels. In some cases, you will also be required to pay additional handling fee and collateral guarantee when printing Dansk Retursystem’s trademark directly on the packaging or its primary label.

Refillable bottles expenses

When using refillable bottles, you must account for your own expenses for collecting, washing, refilling and potentially also disposal of the bottle’s material. Besides this, you must also expect expenses for documenting that you are complying with the requirements and for the refillable deposit system. These expenses are your responsibility to calculate. You will be charged with an annual registration fee, deposit, and operating fee.

Read more about refillable bottles.

Try our free simulator (in Danish), where you can fill out information about a bottle or can, to see what the cost of this particular packaging would be in the deposit system.

Packaging registration fee

The first time you register a product in a calendar year, you will pay 2,000 DKK plus VAT for the right to register beverage products. Afterwards, you are free to register products. You can receive circular economic guidance regarding the deposit system and legal guidance regarding your packaging within The Statutory Order on Deposits and Returns, without any further costs.    

The registration fee must be paid, regardless of whether you are registering one-way packaging or refillable bottles.

Operating fees

Both producers and importers share a part of the financing of the Danish deposit system through fees, which builds upon a principle of every can or bottles carrying its own costs.

This means, that producers and importers pay a fee for every can or bottle they sell, deliver or in any way transfer to the Danish market.

The fees are dependent on the packaging’s volume and material, and whether it’s refillable or one-way packaging. In other words, the fee reflects the costs involved in collecting, and recycling the packaging, deducting the financial value of reselling the packaging’s material.

Here you can see operation fees and additional handling fees for 2024 (in Danish)

Here you can see operation fees and additional handling fees for 2023 (in Danish)

Average fees for one-way packaging

If you have chosen Primary Labeling, you must pay fees every calendar month. If you have chosen secondary labeling (self-adhesive deposit label), you must pay an average fee, which is an average within each deposit group (A, B, or C) and each material group (aluminum, steel, plastic, and glass).

Average fee for primary marking

If you have chosen to use primary marking for glass bottles, print your own labels and fulfill certain requirements, you also have the option to pay average fees and therefore lighten the demand for the rapports demanded by The Statutory Order on Deposits and Returns.

Here you can see average fees and additional handling fees for 2024 (in Danish)

Here you can see average fees and additional handling fees for 2023 (in Danish)

Production costs from purchase of deposit labels

The quickest way to get your deposit-required products out on the market, is by labeling them with stickable deposit labels, purchased at Dansk Retursystem. When you purchase deposit labels, you must pay (other than operating fees and potential additional handling fees) for the production of the labels. Read more about marking with deposit labels.

Here you can see average fees and additional handling fees for 2024 (in Danish)

Here you can see average fees and additional handling fees for 2023  (in Danish)

Here you can see operation fees and additional handling fees for 2024 (in Danish)

Here you can see operation fees and additional handling fees for 2023 (in Danish)

Additional handling fee

With an added focus on circular economy, more attention has been placed on every packaging carrying its own costs. The “circular economic” additional handling fee is calculated based on factors such as whether there is a sleeve on the packaging, the coloring of the material or whether it requires extra manual processes.

Read more about how to avoid the additional handling fees with our designguide (in Danish).

Additional handling can be required for bottles and cans in the following cases:

  • Colored plastic.
  • Composite with bottles and cans made of plastic.
  • Composite with bottles and cans made for aluminum and steel.
  • Sleeves (labels covering all or most of a bottle or can).
  • PVC.
  • Corks (there are differences whether it’s comprised of porcelain or plastic).

Here you can see average fees and additional handling fees for 2024 (in Danish)

Here you can see average fees and additional handling fees for 2023 (in Danish)

Here you can see operation fees and additional handling fees for 2024 (in Danish)

Here you can see operation fees and additional handling fees for 2023 (in Danish)

Collateral Guarantee

Are you seeking a license to print your own labels with the Dansk Retursystem A/S trademark included directly on your packaging, you are required to obtain a bank guarantee for the deposits and operating fee, to have this granted.

Read more about deposit labeling.

It’s a specified assessment based on your products and business, how much you must place as a collateral. It can go up to as much as 500.000 kr. The collateral can however, based on a specified assessment go up or down in size.

Special cases for packaging by glass

If your only packaging is made of glass, the requirement only goes up to 100.000 kr. This can go up however, if you begin to market packaging of other materials later.

Collateral guarantee for two years

As a rule of thumb, collateral must in place for 2 years. This can be extended, if we assess, that your business constitutes a financial risk for the deposit system. Also be aware, that we can withdraw your license to use our trademark, should you fail to abide by the conditions for primary marking. Read more about primary marking. (PDF)

Collateral guarantee under special circumstances

Under special circumstances, you will also be required to place a collateral for packaging already registered with primary marking. This can happen when you present a particular financial risk for us. – i.e., if you have unpaid debt with us.

How can we put up a collateral?

You can place a collateral in multiple ways – some of these include:

  • Bank guarantee
  • Cash deposit
  • Surety insurance policy

Documents regarding collateral guarantee must be written in Danish, English or German. If we are unable to verify your guarantee, you can register your packaging with secondary marking. This means you will have to use stickable deposit labels, where the trademark is printed by us.

Mere information for Udbydere