GERMANY – DEPOSIT SYSTEM

BY ALAN OSBORNTHE EUROPEAN Commission is to make a formal inquiry into Germany's 'one-way' drinks packaging deposit system on the grounds that it breaches European Union (EU) law by damaging trade between EU member countries. Under the system, introduced at the beginning of the year, retailers may only return deposits on empty cans and bottles when they have products of the same type, shape and size in stock. This discourages them from accepting other cans and bottles. Brussels says 95 per cent of imported German drinks packaging is non-reusable, so the system ...


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