Another measure that the inspectorate is considering is increasing the deposit by 15 cents per bottle. But Verpact, the organization that arranges collection for the business community, does not agree. This foundation fears that people will then buy less soft drinks. Verpact has therefore gone to the Council of State.
Dispute about deposits on cans and bottles: money not returned to consumer
The inspectorate wants Verpact to choose between increasing the deposit by 15 cents in 2026 or the return bonus, whereby consumers pay a 15 cent deposit on a bottle and receive 30 cents back when returning it.
penalty
But if Verpact does nothing by January 1, the foundation will have to pay 1.5 million euros per day to the inspection. This penalty may increase to a maximum of 21 million euros.
The inspectorate hopes that this will bring the collection of bottles and cans closer to the mandatory 90 percent. Now that goal is far from being achieved. Verpact believes that the installation of additional deposit machines can help people return more empty bottles and cans. The case will be presented to the Council of State on Thursday.
Unclaimed deposit
Because consumers do not return bottles and cans, the amount of deposits that are not claimed has now risen to hundreds of millions of euros. According to Verpact, 139 million euros in deposits were left behind last year.