For most consumers, the path of emptied one-way beverage bottles or cans ends at the reverse vending machine. Few people know that there is a much more exciting story waiting behind the slot of the reverse vending machine. We take a look behind the scenes.

Important notice to all producers and importers of beverages:
Since 1 July 2022 First Distributors are legally obliged to register in the packaging register LUCID!

The new Packaging Act of 9 June 2021, published in the Federal Law Gazette (Bun-desgesetzblatt, BGBl) on 14 June 2021, came into force on 3 July 2021. The changes in the Packaging Act also affect the distribution of beverage in disposable packaging.

You can identify single-use beverage packaging by the DPG Logo showing bottle, can and arrow.

A deposit of at least 0.25 euros is charged for all marked single-use beverage packaging, regardless of whether it is a can or a bottle. These bottles and cans can be returned nationwide and are filled only once and recycled after return, e.g. into new disposable beverage packaging. You can find out more about the recycling process in our video.