New year, new rules: Austria's path to a greener future!

New year, new rules: Austria's path to a greener future!

From January 1, 2025, significant changes come into force in Austria, which will affect both the everyday life of the citizens and the economy. Above all, the new disposable deposit system seamlessly complements the already planned financial improvements, such as salary increases and the abolition of the cold progression. According to Kosmo.at, the new deposit system will raise 25 cents on plastic and plastic drinks packaging, which are reimbursed when returned. This measure aims to reduce the environmental impact and increase the recycling rate to at least 90 percent by 2027. Food dealers invest around 300 million euros in return machines and infrastructure to implement this system, as Exxpress.at reports.

investments and preparation

Preparation for the new system requires individual dealers to invest considerable investments in new withdrawal machines, which can be 10,000 to 30,000 euros depending on the service costs. Smaller companies receive up to 100 percent of the costs, while large companies are between 20 and 40 percent. All drinks packaging from 0.1 to three liters are affected, with exceptions to products such as tetrapaks and milk packaging. The large supermarket chains, including Billa and SPAR, have already implemented extensive measures and made withdrawal agreements with many traffic points to facilitate the return.

The new pledge system is not only a step towards more environmentally conscious consumption, but also an economic challenge that forces food dealers to reposition themselves. All companies that sell trees to pawns are obliged to take the empty packaging back, which will significantly influence logistics and business processes. These drastic measures are in the context of other important innovations in Austria, which also improve digital payment processes through free immediate transfers and make work more flexible. With these adjustments, Austria not only flies its pioneering role in environmental protection, but also drives the modernization of the entire economic and social system.