On 12 May this year, the Sound Garden Hotel in Warsaw hosted the conference ‘The Deposit-Refund System in Practice 2026’, organised by Puls Biznesu, Poland’s leading business and economic daily. During the event, our EcoAction team presented solutions supporting the operation of the deposit-refund system and held discussions with representatives from the retail sector, manufacturers, system operators and public administration.
The meeting provided an opportunity to review the first few months of the deposit-refund system (DRS), which has been in force in Poland since 1 October 2025. Experts, representatives of the Ministry of Climate and Environment, and market leaders discussed the key challenges associated with the system’s operation, including return logistics, financial settlements, the integrity of the system, and the role of small and medium-sized retail outlets.
The deposit-refund system should, above all, be convenient for consumers. That is why we are developing solutions that enable packaging to be returned easily even outside traditional retail outlets, where the customer receives a deposit refund directly onto their card. Such a service increases the accessibility of the system and encourages even greater participation in the selective collection of packaging,” emphasises Sławomir Harazin, Vice-President of the Management Board of ACTION S.A.
Fiserv Polska S.A., owner of the PolCard brand, is responsible for the implementation of payment terminals in EcoAction recycling machines; a representative of the company visited our stand during the conference.
Cooperation with reverse vending machine manufacturers, such as EcoAction, allows us to tangibly improve the user experience of the deposit system. Our experience shows that refunding the deposit directly to a card is one of the most intuitive and consumer-preferred forms of settlement. That is why we view the development of this type of functionality as a key direction for the further evolution of the entire system, adds Tomasz Małek, Partnership Market Development Manager, Fiserv Polska S.A.
Participation in the event confirmed that the effective functioning of the deposit system requires close cooperation across the entire market and among its participants. We would like to thank everyone who visited our stand during the ‘Deposit System in Practice 2026’ conference organised by Puls Biznesu and shared their experiences and expectations regarding the functioning of the deposit system.
We invite you to watch a short report from the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5yJim0uv-U
