Spanish consumers will have to change their recycling habits when the Deposit, Return and Refund System (SDDR) begins operating, a mechanism that will allow empty plastic bottles and cans to be handed in at supermarkets and other collection points in order to recover an amount of money paid previously when purchasing them. The regulations establish a minimum deposit of 10 cents per container, which will be added to the price of certain products and will be returned in full when the consumer hands over the container under the conditions established. However, the measure, whose implementation was planned for the end of November 2026, has been delayed without a new official date, due to pending administrative procedures and the complexity of rolling out the system across the entire national territory.
The initiative is part of the Spanish and European strategy to increase separate waste collection and reduce the abandonment of packaging. Its operation is already common in other European countries, where establishments have automatic machines that identify containers and allow the deposit to be recovered. In Spain, the project will involve a major transformation of the logistics of retail stores, beverage companies and waste managers. According to information published this Sunday by El Español, the sector estimates that at least 60,000 return machines will be needed, in addition to a collection network that will have to address the specific features of supermarkets, small shops and hospitality venues.
The main clarification for buyers is that this is not a prize for recycling nor a subsidy that allows you to make money by handing in used bottles. The consumer will recover only the amount already paid when purchasing the product. Therefore, while the system is not yet operational, the bottles and cans that are bought currently do not automatically create a right to claim 10 cents for returning them.
How much you will pay for a bottle or can and how to recover the deposit
The Royal Decree 1055/2022, on packaging and packaging waste, establishes that the deposit will be at least 0.10 euros per unit, although the final amount may be higher depending on what the systems responsible for managing it determine. This amount will be passed on to the consumer at the time of purchase and will be returned when they hand over the container at one of the enabled points.
For example, if a person buys six water bottles included in the system, they will have to pay an additional deposit of 60 cents, taking as a reference the legal minimum. When they consume the drinks and return the six containers, they will get back those 60 cents. If they only return four, they will get back 40 cents and will forfeit the deposit corresponding to the two remaining containers.
The mechanism is intended to create an economic incentive so that containers do not end up abandoned or mixed with other waste. Containers may be returned through automatic machines or manual collection systems, depending on the conditions that are set. Supermarkets will not necessarily be the only return points, since the regulations also include small businesses, specific centers and other authorized facilities.
To ensure that containers can be correctly identified, consumers must comply with the storage and cleaning conditions established by the system. For this reason, it is foreseeable that not to crush the bottles or damage their labels or identification codes will be recommended before returning them, although the specific technical requirements still need to be defined.
Which bottles, cans and cartons will be included
The Spanish system is designed to incorporate certain single-use beverage containers of up to three liters, especially plastic bottles, cans, and cardboard containers for drinks, commonly known as cartons.
The regulations include products such as water, soft drinks, juices, nectars, energy drinks, isotonic drinks, and certain alcoholic beverages sold in the formats provided. However, not all of the containers that are currently deposited in the yellow bin will be subject to the deposit.
The Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) warns that there are important differences between the containers that will be able to be returned. For example, the system planned does not automatically include milk cartons, cream cartons or smoothie cartons, nor the containers of products such as fried tomato or gazpacho. Also, in general terms, containers for cleaning or hygiene products are not covered either, which will have to continue to be managed through the usual collection circuits.
The inclusion of briks also constitutes one of the pending issues for regulatory development. Although Spanish regulations contemplate incorporating them, the European regulation focuses primarily on plastic bottles and metallic beverage containers, so it will be necessary to specify how both regulatory frameworks are coordinated.
The new system will not completely replace the yellow container. Packaging that is not subject to the deposit will continue to be separated and deposited in the corresponding containers.
Why it is delayed and when it will start working
The planned schedule placed the rollout of the SDDR around 22 and 23 November 2026, two years after the Ministry for Ecological Transition confirmed failure to meet the separate collection targets for plastic bottles.
Spanish legislation required the implementation of this mechanism because the recovery levels required for 2023 were not reached. However, authorization of the operators in charge of managing the system remains pending, which has prevented progress on the installation of machines and the organization of the collection network in the normal way.
According to information published by El Español, four entities have shown interest in managing the system: Ecoembes, Procircular, CorePET and SDDR para España. All of them are headquartered in the Community of Madrid, so the initial authorization corresponds to this regional administration. The procedure has not yet been completed, and if multiple operators are authorized, it would also be necessary to establish coordination mechanisms to ensure that the system functions in a compatible manner throughout the country.
To this obstacle is added the need to adapt the Royal Decree 1055/2022 to the European Regulation 2025/40, as well as to define the obligations of commercial establishments. The logistical dimension of the project is considerable, since it affects hundreds of thousands of points of sale and requires computer systems, collection equipment, transport of packaging, and mechanisms to return deposits to buyers.
The advance of the general elections of 29 November introduces another element of uncertainty regarding regulatory development deadlines. Industry entities warn that the formation of the next Government could extend processing, although there is no official date that allows confirming when the machines will start operating.
European regulations establish as a reference the January 1, 2029, the date by which Member States must, with the exceptions provided for, ensure the separate collection of at least 90% of certain beverage containers and have a deposit system fully operational. However, 2029 is not a new premiere date announced for Spain, but a different European limit for a national obligation whose schedule has already been missed.
What will happen with the containers you buy while the delay lasts
While the SDDR is not operational, consumers will not have to pay the new mandatory deposit of 10 cents for bottles and cans. Nor will they be able to go to any supermarket to claim that amount for containers they have bought previously without a deposit.
Containers must continue to be deposited in the usual selective collection containers. Once the new model starts to be applied, it will be necessary to distinguish between products that include the deposit and those that do not, following the information shown on the labeling and in the established identification systems.
The OCU considers it essential that the new mechanism is simple and that consumers clearly know which products are included, how much money they are charged, and where they can get it back. It also calls for there to be a sufficiently wide network of return points to prevent citizens from having to make excessive trips.
In short, Spain maintains the obligation to implement the container deposit and return system, but its entry into operation will not arrive on the initially planned date of November 2026. When it is activated, buyers will pay an additional minimum of 10 cents for certain containers and will be able to recover that money in full when returning them. Until then, the schedule remains open and domestic recycling will continue to be carried out through the current systems.