A year with the deposit return system in Poland: the expert debate is behind us
The discussion, moderated by journalist Olimpia Wolf, featured key market players: Ryszard Machoj (Member of the Management Board for Sales at Lidl Polska), Rafał Skawski (Circularity Manager at the Żabka Group) and Dorota Szuremska (Head of Legal Affairs at the Polish Deposit System, PSK).
Huge investments and challenges of scale
Implementing the regulations required a major leap forward from the retail sector, both in terms of technology and finance. Ryszard Machoj of Lidl said that the chain has already invested more than half a billion zlotys in the system, and estimated that it will need to spend the same amount again on further conveniences for customers. Rafał Skawski of the Żabka Group, in turn, pointed to the operational scale: with a network of 13,000 stores, the challenge was rolling out the system at a pace of around 700 locations per day, along with large-scale training of staff and franchisees.
Consumers are gaining knowledge, but the system is not cost-neutral
The experts unanimously stressed that customer awareness is growing month by month. For the consumer, the system is meant to be as simple and intuitive as possible. However, participants in the debate pointed out that, although the mechanism seems natural, it generates enormous costs for retailers and other market participants.
The key role of operators and opposition to single-use glass
An important conclusion from the meeting is the need for operators to standardise their processes, which is meant to ensure smooth settlements and the stability of the system. Dorota Szuremska of PSK noted that the sheer number of operators does not in itself guarantee low costs.
The issue of plans to expand the range of covered packaging types also resonated widely during the debate. Based on the analyses carried out and on experience from abroad (including Romania), participants warned against hastily introducing single-use glass into the system. It could generate huge costs due to the need to invest in new machines, as well as the risk of breakage.
The deposit return system in Poland can no longer be stopped. A year of experience has shown that the foundations are working properly, but further development requires close cooperation between retailers and operators, as well as regulatory flexibility, in order to meet the financial and logistical challenges.