Biedronka and Lidl must raise prices. The new law forces them to do so

We are only less than 3 months away from the new year. Meanwhile, many people may not realize that from January 1, 2025, prices for many products will increase. We will notice price increases both in Lidl, Biedronka and Carrefour. Their reason is simple. It’s about the deposit system.

Deposit system from 2025

Despite numerous objections and appeals, everything indicates that the deposit system will come into force in Poland from January 1, 2025. This means that every store with an area of ​​at least 200 m2² will be obliged to collect used plastic, metal and glass packaging. Smaller institutions can also participate in the system, but it is not mandatory.

What does the deposit system have to do with price increases? A lot, because the prices of drinks, milk and many other products will be increased by the cost of packaging. Therefore, we will pay more at the checkout. It is true that we will be able to get the money back later, but only if we decide to return the bottles to a special machine or point. The amounts for individual packages are as follows:

• disposable plastic bottles (up to 3 liters) – 50 cents
• metal cans (up to 1 liter) – 50 cents
• reusable glass bottles (up to 1.5 liters) – PLN 1

For example, if you buy a pack of water with 8 plastic bottles in it, you will be charged PLN 4 (8 × 50 gr) at the checkout. Importantly, we will not have to return the packaging to the same store where we made the purchase. For this reason, you will not need to have a receipt.

It is also worth knowing that collecting bottles now to return them in January does not make any sense. We won’t even get a penny for it. The deposit system starts in January and only packaging for which an additional fee will be charged will be eligible for subsequent return. This information will be included in their barcode.

Meanwhile, many companies and organizations are appealing to the government to postpone the introduction of the deposit system by as much as a year. Even Lidl and Biedronka, which compete with each other on a daily basis, have formed a coalition on this matter. Local governments have a similar opinion, according to which the introduction of a deposit system at this time will result in higher prices for waste management.