France drops mandatory deposit return scheme for plastic bottles
France's Ministry of Ecological Transition confirmed in September 2026 that it will not enforce a mandatory deposit return system for plastic bottles, opting instead for voluntary schemes at municipal level, extended producer responsibility and increased funding for local waste management. Local government associations France Urbaine, AMF, Intercommunalités de France and the Cercle National du Recyclage welcomed the decision, which followed a joint report by the IGF and IGEDD inspectorates concluding a deposit scheme would not improve plastic bottle recycling rates. The associations are now calling for working sessions to define alternative measures targeting a 90% collection rate and 315,000 tonnes of plastic bottles collected annually.
Why this mattersA major EU market abandoning mandatory bottle deposits shifts recycling policy toward EPR and municipal systems, affecting collection volumes and rPET supply for packaging producers.
- Announcement made in early September 2026 by France's Ministry of Ecological Transition
- Joint report by IGF and IGEDD concluded a deposit scheme would not improve overall plastic bottle recycling performance
- Target cited: 90% collection rate and 315,000 tonnes of plastic beverage bottles collected annually
- Alternative proposals aim to eliminate 5 million tonnes of plastic pollution and keep 38 million tonnes of household waste in the circular economy
- UK's Exchange for Change set producer fees at 0p from October 2027 to December 2028 for its deposit return scheme launching October 2027
- Sweden's Returpack/Pantamera scheme became first in Europe to receive RecyClass certification for PET bottle sorting