Inspectorate pushes to double bottle deposits to recover millions in unclaimed refunds

The Dutch Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) is pushing to double bottle deposits to 30 cents starting January 1 to boost returns and reclaim hundreds of millions of euros in unclaimed bottles and cans, AD reported. The move is intended to create a stronger financial incentive for consumers after years of collection rates falling short of the legal 90 percent target.

Confidential documents obtained by AD show the ILT is pressing Verpact, which manages bottle and can collection for the industry, to take one of two actions: raise the deposit from 15 cents to 30 cents, or keep it at 15 cents but offer a 30-cent return bonus. Both options would increase costs for Verpact without affecting checkout prices.

From July 2021 to December 2024, Verpact retained an estimated 505.9 million euros in unclaimed deposits. In 2024 alone, collection hit just 77 percent, leaving roughly 139 million euros unreturned.

“If the company does not comply, a daily penalty of 1.5 million euros could be imposed from January 1, potentially reaching 21 million euros,” the ILT said.

Verpact opposes both measures and has appealed to the Council of State, requesting a temporary suspension of the penalty. The ILT accuses the organization of “calculating” and “opportunistic” behavior that undermines collection efforts.

Collection problems worsened after the deposit system expanded to small bottles in 2021 and cans in 2023. Small containers must often be returned through machines meant for large bottles, causing long lines, frustration, and inaccessible drop-off points at busy locations like train stations and city centers.

In 2024, the ILT issued an enforcement order requiring Verpact to install 5,400 extra collection points by 2027. While implementation has begun, the inspectorate deems it insufficient, noting a “perverse incentive” in the system: the fewer bottles collected, the more unclaimed deposits Verpact retains

The dispute has divided policymakers. State Secretary for the Environment Thierry Aartsen (VVD) criticized the ongoing collection issues, citing “too few collection points, opened trash bins, and filth in supermarkets,” but he opposes raising the deposit. “This problem should not be passed onto consumers. It only costs people more at the checkout,” he said. Aartsen supports a return bonus, calling it “a real incentive to reward good behavior at home.”

The Council of State is scheduled to hear the case Thursday. If the ILT prevails, consumers could see bottle deposits double at the start of 2025.