11 beverage giants unite to launch National Deposit System Operator KAUCJA.PL for sustainable packaging
POLAND – 11 beverage giants unite to launch National Deposit System Operator KAUCJA.PL for sustainable packaging.
A consortium of 11 beverage companies in Poland has launched the joint-stock company KAUCJA.PL – Krajowy System Kaucyjny.
This marks the first deposit system operator with such extensive collaboration among beverage companies, united in their environmental goals.
KAUCJA.PL’s primary responsibility will be managing the return and recycling process for packaging and packaging waste included in the deposit system, as well as settling collected deposits. The system assigns a value to packaging to incentivize recycling.
The company will partner with various retail outlets, ranging from large retail chains to smaller stores, providing technological and logistical support for collecting used packaging.
The coalition includes prominent companies such as Coca-Cola HBC Polska, Colian, Grupa Maspex, Nałęczów Zdrój, Nestlé Polska, Oshee Polska, PepsiCo Polska, Red Bull, Van Pur, Zbyszko Company, and Żywiec Zdrój.
In Poland, the deposit system will cover single-use plastic bottles up to 3 liters, metal cans up to 1 liter, and returnable glass bottles up to 1.5 liters.
Consumers will pay a deposit added to the product price when purchasing a drink, which will be refunded upon returning the used packaging to any collection point nationwide, without needing a receipt.
The shareholders have appointed Piotr Okurowski as the President of the Management Board of KAUCJA.PL. Okurowski brings extensive experience in implementing modern technologies and managing logistics and supply chains, having held leadership positions at DHL Supply Chain, PepsiCo Polska, and Lyreco Polska SA.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Okurowski stated, “It was with great joy and a sense of responsibility that I received the information about my selection for the position of president of the company that will operate the deposit system for 11 key representatives of the beverage industry in Poland.”
He also mentioned that they have the consent of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection to establish the joint venture and are currently seeking approval from the Ministry of Culture and Environment to operate the deposit system in Poland.
The system operator will oversee the infrastructure and processes related to the deposit system and will be responsible for achieving the required levels of selective collection of packaging waste. The target is to collect 77% of packaging by the end of 2025 and 90% by 2029.
The company is currently initiating its operations and is open to collaboration with beverage producers, retail chains, stores, and other participants in the deposit system while promoting environmental education and sustainable development.
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