Record DRS returns in Sweden

More than three billion PET bottles and aluminium cans were returned through Sweden’s deposit return system (DRS) in 2025, 130 million more than the previous year.

Sweden’s return rate rose to 88.4%, approaching the national target of 90%, according to new data from Returpack/Pantamera, the operator of the country’s DRS. On average, every person in Sweden returned 283 containers, a 4% increase from 2024.

The returns mean that, in 2025, Sweden’s deposit system delivered 27 826 tonnes of aluminium and 24 835 tonnes of PET to material buyers. According to the operator, when PET bottles and aluminium cans are returned through the deposit system, instead of general packaging recycling, their carbon footprint is cut in half.

Seamless fit

Returpack/Pantamera says oneof the defining features of Sweden’s DRS is that it seamlessly fits into everyday life. Most people return containers during a regular trip to the grocery store, making accessibility a cornerstone of the system’s high return rates.

The latest data also highlights the growing role of high-capacity reverse vending machines, where entire bags of containers can be emptied at once. These machines represent 14% of all reverse vending machines and account for 45% of total volume. In areas where retailers install them, return volumes consistently increase.

Blueprint

Launched in 1984, as the world’s first DRS, Sweden has so far collected more than 55 billion bottles and cans, the result of four decades of collaboration between beverage producers, retailers and consumers.

‘As such systems are introduced and expanded across Europe, Sweden’s experience offers a long-term perspective on which key factors that have been crucial to achieving high collection rates, circular material flows, and long-term sustainability,’ says Returpack/Pantamera.

Pantamera is operated by Returpack with the mission of increasing the recycling of cans and PET bottles. Returpack is a privately owned company, operating under a mandate from its owners and the Swedish government.