The introduction of disposable deposit in Austria

With the start of the new year 2025, a significant step will be taken in Austria in the area of waste avoidance and resource conservation: the disposable deposit for bottles and cans will be introduced. Against this backdrop, the Im-Fokus survey conducted in December 2024 analyzed the disposal behavior and opinions of Austrians on this topic. 332 people took part in the survey.

Status quo – before introduction of disposable deposit for bottles and cans

The survey began with the question of how much packaging is thrown away per household on average per month.

Many Austrians are skeptical about the introduction of the disposable deposit for bottles and cans – 62% of respondents are generally rather critical of the one-way deposit. Nevertheless, the study also shows a positive side to the discussion:

Almost half of the participants rate the single-use deposit as (very) important for environmental protection. A majority see advantages in terms of practical implementation and do not expect any excessive difficulties in everyday life.

Positive expectations

In addition to the general acceptance of the deposit system, other aspects were also examined:

Many respondents are convinced that the disposable deposit for bottles and cans will both increase the recycling rate and make public places cleaner.
While a small proportion of the population stated that they would continue to dispose of bottles and cans in the bin despite the deposit, the majority were in favor of the new system.

The results of the In-Focus survey show that the new single-use deposit system has met with mixed reactions. It remains to be seen how it will actually be implemented in practice and whether the positive expectations regarding the environment and recycling will be fulfilled. However, with the introduction of this system, Austria is taking an important step towards sustainability and environmental protection.

You can find the full report (in German) here!

published: 09.01.2025