site.btaBulgaria’s Soft Drinks Sector Supports Deposit Return System

The Association of Soft Drinks Producers in Bulgaria (ASDPB) said Tuesday at a BTA press conference that it is ready to participate in the development of a deposit return system (DRS) in Bulgaria. ASDPB Executive Director Zhanna Velichkova commented that such a system is among the most effective methods for packaging waste management. She explained that the system works on the principle of financial incentive, where a small deposit is added to the price of a beverage and refunded when the empty container is returned to a store or special collection machine.

Velichkova added that introducing a deposit system would significantly contribute to achieving the European Union’s targets: 90% separate collection of plastic and metal packaging by 2029, and at least 30% recycled plastic in every bottle by 2030. She also noted that the European model is industry-managed, which has proven to lead to successful outcomes.

Earlier this month, the Bulgarian Recovery and Recycling Association (BORA) also declared strong support for implementing a deposit system in Bulgaria.

During the press conference, the results of an economic study by the Institute for Market Economics (IME) were presented, reflecting data on the sector’s development.

The analysis showed that in 2023, the soft drinks and bottled water sector generated BGN 300 million in added value for the Bulgarian economy. The study is based on official data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI) and company reports from the 2020-2023 period. The data show that companies in the sector invested BGN 574 million in local suppliers and contractors in 2023.

IME lead economist Lachezar Bogdanov noted that the soft drinks and bottled water industry has fully recovered from the decline during the pandemic in 2020 and reached high levels of economic contribution by the end of 2023. He added that the sector’s generated added value is the highest in recent years.

The report reveals that in 2023, there were 162 enterprises in the sector, employing 4,225 people, about 60% of whom work directly in soft drinks production. Total sales revenue amounted to BGN 1.061 billion, of which BGN 723 million came from soft drinks sales and BGN 338 million from bottled water. In 2023, the sector contributed 0.2% of Bulgaria’s gross domestic product (GDP).