Portugal bans sale of non‑Volta single‑use beverage containers from August 10

From 10 August 2024, Portugal will no longer allow the sale of single‑use beverage containers that are not part of the Volta deposit‑return system. The rule ends a transition period that began on 10 April, requiring all plastic bottles and aluminium or steel cans up to three litres to display the Volta symbol and include a €0.10 deposit refundable when the container is returned.

Consumers can reclaim the deposit at roughly 2,500 automatic collection machines, more than 8,000 manual points and 48 large‑quantity kiosks across mainland Portugal, the Azores and Madeira. The system aims to raise the selective collection rate of covered packaging to 90 % by 2029, meeting the European Union’s recycling targets. In its first two months, over 10 million containers were already returned.