There are EUR 20 million in deposits Come back for complaining: What's going on?

HeUR 20 million in unclaimed deposits under the Volta packaging system. This is at a time when more than 430 million bottles have already been delivered. 

The news, refer to, was advanced by News Newspaper, who realizes that between april and july 627 million packages were placed on the market, revealed the project manager to the same newspaper. 

Since 430 million packages have already been returned, it means that eur 43 million was claimed from eur 62.7 million put on the market.

Accounts made, there is a difference of eur 19.7 million in unclaimed deposits.

The money that doesn't come back: What happens to unclaimed deposits?

You know what happens to the 10 cents you pay for the bottles and plastic cans in the Volta system when they're not claimed? They're reinvested in the system.  

 
“ Unclaimed deposit values remain in the system and are reinvested in it, financing technological innovation and the necessary infrastructure requalification ", can be read on the program website. 

It is recalled that the figure has been set at 10 cents, applied to all packages covered by the Volta and is not subject to VAT.

“ Unclaimed deposit values – unreturned packaging – are reinvested in the business of managing entities, provided that the collection targets set in the licences are met. If the deviation from the targets is more than 30 percentage points in the first year of leave, 25 percentage points in the second year or 10 percentage points in the following years, the part corresponding to this deviation reverts equally to the Environmental Fund and to the Consumer Rights Promotion Fund”, explains the Zero environmental association. 

Zero also clarifies that “the amounts not reimbursed by the end of the third year following the placing on the market of the packaging and the vouchers not redeemed within the period of validity are considered not to be claimed”.

“ The collection targets set are 40% in 2026, 80% in 2027, 85% in 2028 and 90% in 2029. For each tonne below the target, a waste management fee is due”, read on the Association website. 

Operating since April 10 the SDR, which was named Volta, had a transitional period which ended on Monday, so from now on all packaging drinks placed on the market should belong to the system.

The Volta, administered by SDR Portugal, allows the dedicated collection of bottles and cans of single-use drinks less than three litres, reimbursing the 10 cents that were paid extra for the drink. It started with 2,500 auto-gathering sites in supermarkets and hypermarkets but has now reached 3,000, according to official data provided to the Lusa Agency.