Question 1

Do I need the receipt to get my deposit back?

Accepted Answer

No. The refund right attaches to the container, not the receipt. Handing in the empty container at a return point is enough.

Question 2

Do I have to return it to the shop where I bought it?

Accepted Answer

No. Any participating return point must accept containers covered by the scheme, regardless of where they were bought.

Question 3

What if the container is crushed or broken?

Accepted Answer

Machines need to read the barcode and recognise the container shape. A badly damaged container may be rejected; a staffed counter is worth trying in that case.

Question 4

Can I return containers without the label?

Accepted Answer

Usually not. The label carries the code identifying the container as part of the scheme.

Question 5

What about containers bought in another country?

Accepted Answer

They carry no deposit refund in Spain. Each country runs its own scheme and its own codes.

Question 6

I'm a tourist here for a few days. Does this affect me?

Accepted Answer

Yes: you pay the deposit on every purchase. If you won't return the containers, treat it as a small added cost; returning them is quick in supermarkets with machines.

Question 7

How does it affect bars and restaurants?

Accepted Answer

Hospitality serving drinks in single-use containers is part of the deposit chain. Specific return obligations depend on the secondary regulation and the sales channel.

Question 8

Is VAT charged on the deposit?

Accepted Answer

The deposit is a refundable security, not payment for the product. The exact tax treatment is part of the regulation still pending.

Question 9

Can I still use the yellow recycling bin?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and you should keep using it for all containers without a deposit. A deposit container thrown in the yellow bin is recycled, but the deposit is lost.

Question 10

Will drinks get more expensive?

Accepted Answer

The product price should not rise because of the deposit, but the total you pay at the till does go up until you return the containers.

Question 11

What happens when machines are full or broken?

Accepted Answer

The retailer must offer an alternative while the point is out of service. Minimum service detail depends on the conditions set in the authorisations.

Question 12

Is this portal official?

Accepted Answer

No. It is an independent information project that links its sources. For any legal question, what is published in the BOE and by the Ministry prevails.