Information about signup for importers, producers, and intermediaries
Here you can read about whether you need to be signed up for the deposit system. You can also gain an overview of what being a part of the deposit system means, and which possibilities you have for signing up your beverages.
Should I sign up my company for the deposit system?
If you import or produce beverages covered by the Danish deposit and return system, you must sign up your company and your beverages with Dansk Retursystem and collect a deposit on the beverages you sell in Denmark.
The Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark decides which beverages are included in the Danish deposit and return system based on an environmental assessment.
It is the combination of the content and the packaging, together referred to as ‘beverage’, which determines whether the beverage is included in the Danish deposit system. Below you can see a list of beverages covered by the Statutory Order
This covers both the deposits on disposable packaging that can be recycled and the deposits on refillable packaging that is washed and filled again.
Beverages that should be registered with the Danish deposit system
Beverages
- Beer
- Carbonated beverages (e.g., soda with an alcohol content of 0-0,5%).
- Other fermented beverages (e.g., cider, with an alcohol content under 10%)
- Mixed products based on liquor, wine or other fermented beverages and mixed with beverages like soda, cider, or juice (e.g., alcohol soda (RTD/Ready-to-drink) with an alcohol content of 0,5-10%.
- Mineral water, spring water, water, lemonade, iced tea and others which are similarly immediate drinkable and non-carbonated
- Concentrate juice, that must be diluted before consumption
- Pure juice, fruit drinks or drinkable fruit/vegetable beverages
- Smoothies (without milk)
- Plant based beverages
Packaging
- Cans or bottles made of glass, aluminum, plastic, and steel
Beverage products not covered by the deposit and return system
Beverages
- Milk products and products based of milk
- Products that are not designed as beverages, such as supplements, flavorings for drinks and food
– please contact us if so - Wine, liquor, spirits, and other fermented beverages with an alcohol percentage above 10%
Packaging
- Carton packaging.
- Packaging of 20 liters or more.
- Plastic cans of more than 10 liters with still water (uncarbonated).
- Juice concentrate in packaging of more than 4,9 ml.
- Juice-shots in glass or plastic packaging under or equal to 125 ml, must apply for a waiver, despite being a part of the deposit system.
Get off to a good start selling deposit-labelled beverages
Find everything you need to know to register your company
Read more
What is the sign-up process like?
If you find that your beverages need to be marked with the Danish deposit mark, it is time to sign up your company to the deposit system. Once you are signed up, you can consequently sign up your beverages to the system.
Sign-up for importers, producers and intermediaries
When you import, produce, or market beverages that require a deposit, it is mandatory to sign up for the deposit system. Only available in Danish.
Self-service for importers, producers, and intermediaries
Sign up new containers, order deposit stamps, or find answers to frequently asked questions. Note: Only available in Danish.
FAQ
Here, we have prepared a list of some of the questions we are most frequently asked.
Should I sign up my company for the deposit system?
Should my company be signed up as an importer, producer or intermediary in the deposit system?
If you wish to sell, market, or import deposit eligible beverages in Denmark, your company must be signed up for the deposit system. If you are in doubt about whether your beverages require deposit, and whether your company should be signed up, read more in the section “Should I sign up my company for the deposit system?” at the top of this page.
Do you also need pickup for empty bottles or cans?
In this case, you also need to sign up your company as a “Store, Office, or Restaurant”.
What are the responsibilities for intermediaries and distributors in the deposit system?
Intermediaries and distributors must register with Dansk Retursystem.
Based on the current Statutory Order, an intermediary is:
A wholesaler or other enterprise without a retail outlet that markets beverage products to stores, distributors, recipients of returns or other intermediaries.
Based on the current Statutory Order, a distributor is:
A central warehouse or similar enterprise that distributes beverage products on which deposits are payable in packaging to its own stores or receives empty packaging for beverage products on which deposits are payable from these stores and that is not an intermediary.
Intermediaries must:
Report their sales and returns figures for refillable packaging.
However, intermediaries that exclusively sell disposable packaging do not have to register with Dansk Retursystem.
Distributors must:
Report both their sales and returns figures for refillable packaging and their sales figures for disposable packaging.
Handling fee
Intermediaries and distributors are usually not eligible to claim a handling fee. Only in circumstances in which they operate as a grocery store stocking a wide range of products may they apply to receive a handling fee. Contact Dansk Retursystem to find out more about this.
What are the different types of containers and deposit amounts?
One-way packaging
Bottles and cans with a deposit mark are one-way (disposable) packaging that can be recycled, melted and turned into new bottles and cans.
- Pant A = DKK 1.00 (glass bottles and aluminium cans less than 1 litre)
- Pant B = DKK 1.50 (plastic bottles less than 1 litre)
- Pant C = DKK 3.00 (all bottles and cans of 1–20 litres)
Importers and producers that market beverages in one-way packaging on which deposits are payable must register the packaging with the Danish deposit and return system. When you register an item of packaging, you must therefore decide how the packaging will be deposit marked. Read more about the different types of marks for one-way packaging by clicking the link below.
Refillable packaging
Bottles without a deposit mark are refillable packaging that can be cleaned and refilled: for example, the green beer bottle.
The deposit you pay on refillable packaging at the point of sale is refundable as follows:
- Glass bottles under 0.5 litres = DKK 1.00
- Glass bottles over 0.5 litres = DKK 3.00
- Plastic bottles under 1 litre = DKK 1.50
- Plastic bottles over 1 litre = DKK 3.00
If you wish to read more about refillable packaging, click the link below:
How does reporting in the deposit system work?
The Danish deposit and return system is based on ‘the polluter pays’ principle.
This means that an importer or producer pays fees for each item of packaging sold, supplied or otherwise transferred in Denmark. Importers, producers, intermediaries and distributors must report their sales volumes for registered products and packaging to enable Dansk Retursystem to collect the correct amount for the deposits and fees and pay the handling payment to shops for preparing the one-way packaging.
How do I register new packaging?
If you are an importer or producer and want to sell beverages in Denmark that are covered by the Danish deposit and return system, you must register your packaging and products with Dansk Retursystem.
When registering the packaging, Dansk Retursystem ensures that the reverse vending machines in shops throughout Denmark will recognize the packaging returned by consumers.