Overview
- Around 24 manufacturers of pickles, mustard, jam and similar products have said they will shift glass jars from single-use to reusable packaging and add deposits as reported in early June.
- The companies are contracting Berlin startup Dotch to operate the deposit and return logistics, a private, producer-led alternative to a government rollout.
- Producers cite rising CO2-linked prices for single-use glass and higher licensing costs as reasons that Mehrweg jars offer planning security and lower lifecycle emissions.
- A push to raise a uniform Mehrweg deposit to about €0.25 has gained support from a YouGov survey and the Verband kommunaler Unternehmen but is opposed by large beverage groups that warn of costly till, machine and accounting changes.
- The debate raises social and operational questions because a recent study estimates roughly 1.1 million informal bottle collectors who earn low monthly sums and because Mehrweg glass requires new return flows but can be refilled up to about 50 times, improving emissions over time.