Pfand chaos in Vienna: queues and frustration on machines!

Pfand chaos in Vienna: queues and frustration on machines!

Wien-Margareten, Österreich - The return of deposit bottles in Vienna increasingly cause resentment, especially at the machines that often do not work properly. Claudia S. reports on her frustrating experiences in a supermarket in Vienna Margaret: Long waiting times at the deposit machines make the deposit system anything but user-friendly. In response to the problems, she decided to switch to a soda stream to avoid deposit bottles. Many other readers also criticize and report similar experiences.

An anonymous reader describes his story from a McDonald’s, where he was forced to pay for an apple juice deposit, only to then throw the bottle away because he did not want to be due again. Another reader who calls himself "Südwind" tells that he buys beer cans because they are easier to use, but there are also problems with machines that do not accept the doses.

The problem of defective machines

Gerlinde S. from Vienna-Leopoldstadt has completely stopped leaving empty. It criticizes the frequent disorders of the machines and criticizes the need to wash out yoghurt glasses before they can be handed over at a machine. In her opinion, this is a hidden expense that prevents many from returning. In order to improve the system, it suggests setting up a pick -up system for pledge bottles where someone picks up the bottles and keeps the deposit. In their view, many bottles end up in the trash anyway.

The situation could change soon: from January 1, 2024, the pawn obligation to milk and mixed milk drinks that have at least 50% milk content and other drinkable milk products will be extended. This regulation concerns disposable bottles of plastic with a filling volume of 0.1 to 3 liters and is strictly enforced by the legislator. Manufacturers are obliged to collect a deposit of at least 0.25 euros per packaging and all displaced retailers must collect it until the end of the end user.

new pledge system from 2024

It is particularly important that the beverage packaging must be clearly marked as subject to pledge. From 2024 it is no longer permitted to offer the aforementioned milk products without a deposit. Deutsche Pfandsystem GmbH (DPG) integrates these new products into their return and deposit system, so that consumers can also get their deposit back in the future. However, a change without transitional arrangement means that manufacturers who have brought their products into circulation by the end of 2023 have to make sure that they are not provided with the DPG pawn logo.

The expansion of the pawn obligation not only has the goal of tracing more packaging into the recycling cycle, but also to use the raw materials for milk products sustainably. If companies do not take the right measures, they face fines by the responsible federal states.

What the situation will look like in the coming months remains to be seen. But the voices of consumers are loud and the hope that the pledge system will become more user -friendly grows with every new regulation.