The deposit is added to the price of the drink automatically, so anyone who bins their cans pays it and never gets it back. A household with a few cans and bottles a day is leaving real money in the recycling bin.
Quick facts
- 150ml to 500ml
- 15 cent
- Over 500ml to 3 litres
- 25 cent
- Not included
- Glass, dairy, over 3 litres
- Return to
- Any shop selling Re-turn drinks
- Started
- 1 February 2024
How much you get back
"Containers between 150ml to 500ml have a 15 cent deposit" and "Containers over 500ml to 3 litres have a 25 cent deposit". The container must be empty, undamaged, in its original shape, with the Re-turn logo and a readable barcode. Leave the cap on.
What can't be returned
Glass bottles, all dairy containers such as milk or yoghurt, and containers over 3 litres are not in the scheme. Drinks bought before the scheme started on 1 February 2024 have no Re-turn logo and go in normal recycling. Re-turn's website has a barcode checker if you are unsure.
Where to return them and how the voucher works
"You don't need to return your containers to the same shop that you bought them from." Shops return them through a reverse vending machine or by hand, though small shops can apply for an exemption. Re-turn.ie has a map of return points.
A machine gives you a voucher. "You can choose to use your voucher to buy something in that specific shop or to refund your voucher for cash." But "If you return your containers using an RVM, you can only use or get a refund for your voucher in the same shop where you returned the bottles."
Takeaways usually charge the deposit. Sit-down restaurants and cafés generally don't, because they return the containers themselves.
Common questions
How much is the deposit on a bottle in Ireland?
15 cent for containers from 150ml to 500ml, and 25 cent for containers over 500ml up to 3 litres.
Do I have to return cans to the shop I bought them in?
No. Any shop that sells drinks with the Re-turn logo can take them, unless it has an exemption.
Can I get cash instead of a voucher?
Yes. You can spend the voucher in that shop or ask for it as cash, but only in the shop whose machine printed it.