Poland deposit (kaucja) calculator
Add the drinks in an order or a product range and see which containers carry a deposit in Poland’s deposit return system (system kaucyjny), how much per container and the total.
Anonymous: we keep only daily counts of checks. Store addresses and results are not saved, and there are no tracking cookies in the tool.
How it works
01Add your drinks
Container type, volume and quantity for each line.
02We apply the deposit amounts
PLN 0.50 for single-use plastic bottles up to 3 l and metal cans up to 1 l, PLN 1.00 for reusable glass bottles up to 1.5 l.
03See the total
The deposit per container and per line, the total and the containers outside the system.
Questions about this tool
Since when does Poland charge deposits?
The deposit return system (system kaucyjny) has run since 1 October 2025. A deposit is charged when a drink in a covered container is sold and refunded when the empty container is returned, without a receipt.
Which containers carry a deposit?
Single-use plastic beverage bottles up to 3 litres, metal beverage cans up to 1 litre and reusable glass beverage bottles up to 1.5 litres (Annex 1a of the packaging act; amounts in § 1 of Dz.U. 2024 poz. 1046). Covered containers carry a mark showing the system and the deposit amount (Article 40l).
Is VAT charged on the deposit?
No. The deposit is outside the VAT tax base, so it is shown as a separate amount, for example a separate non-taxable cart line.
Does an online store charge the deposit too?
The Ministry of Climate and Environment says all points that sell drinks in covered containers charge the deposit. How the take-back duties apply to online-only stores is not spelled out in the act, so ask your deposit operator.