Bulgaria Lags Behind in Introducing Deposit Return System, Says Brewers' Union Head

Atanas Malakchiev, Ivona Velichkova

Ivana Radomirova, Executive Director of the Union of Brewers in Bulgaria, speaks at a news conference at BTA's National Press Club, Sofia, March 17, 2026 (BTA Photo/Milena Stoykova)

Sofia,

17.03.2026 16:55

(BTA)

Ivana Radomirova, Executive Director of the Union of Brewers in Bulgaria, told a news conference on Tuesday that there is still time to introduce a deposit return system in Bulgaria, but the process is already becoming critical, as it takes at least two years to implement. The deadline for the initial target of 90% separate collection of beverage packaging is 2029.

Radomirova said Bulgaria is among the countries significantly lagging in introducing a deposit return system for packaging, raising concerns among businesses, municipalities, consumer groups and environmental organizations. She urged lawmakers to complete the legislative process as soon as possible and proceed with the required public consultations and remaining steps.

She recalled that EU legislation requires all Member States to introduce deposit return systems for beverage containers by 2029. The process in Bulgaria has stalled for 10 months after a working group at the Environment Ministry was unilaterally disbanded by the previous minister.

Radomirova said that while the working group was functioning, the bill on a deposit system for packaging was almost finalized by general consensus. After a ten-month period of silence, the Bulgarian Socialist Party submitted a new bill to Parliament that runs counter to stakeholder discussions and would place the system under state management. The bill not only differs from the practice in all European countries with deposit return systems but also contradicts the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, which Bulgaria is obliged to follow, she said.

She pointed out that 18 such systems are currently operating in the EU Member States and, with the exception of Croatia, they are managed by the relevant industry and by wholesalers and retailers. She added that, according to the regulation, the system operator must be a non-profit independent legal entity. It will also be obliged to return all collected fees to consumers. According to preliminary studies for Bulgaria, the deposit fee will be EUR 0.10.

Radomirova said deposit return schemes must also be cost-effective, because beverage producers are keen to keep processing and logistics fees for each container as low as possible to avoid increasing retail prices. The investment to set up the system in Bulgaria is projected at around EUR 100 million, depending on timing and the number of machines purchased. This cost will again be borne by the beer, soft drink and bottled water industries.

She also said that labour costs throughout the system - from collection points, through logistics, to the point of handover for recycling - would be covered by manufacturers and importers. Deposit return system associations will include industry organizations representing companies of all sizes, ruling out any risk of monopolization.

/YV/