Participation of retailers in the deposit system is vital because it is the retailers who enable the effective circulation of deposit packaging, selling products in deposit packaging, receiving the deposit fee, accepting used deposit packaging, and then repaying the deposit fee to the end consumer. The involvement of retailers helps build new, climate-friendly habits in the everyday life of the general public, for a better environment. Given that the public demand for a deposit system is rising, setting up deposit stations will help retailers find new customers, and boost the loyalty of the retailers’ current customers.
Correctly filled-in agreement signed with a secure electronic signature, sent to tirgotajs@dio.lv, addressed to the party specified in the details.
If printed and signed in paper format, the agreement must be sent to the following address: SIA Depozīta Iepakojuma Operators, Granīta iela 27, Acone, Salaspils pag., Salaspils nov., LV-2119, Latvija.
* If you cannot sign the agreement electronically, or if you need help preparing the agreement in paper format, please contact SIA Depozīta Iepakojuma Operators in order to find a solution. Please send an e-mail to tirgotajs@dio.lv, or call +371 20226575.
Retailers with a binding agreement on manually accepting deposit packaging in retail outlets must fill in the following part of the agreement:
Details of the parties of the agreement, entering the information requested on pages 1 and 17;
Annex 1 to the agreement, on pages 18–19;
Authorised signatory of Annex 2 to the agreement, on page 20;
Authorised signatory of Annex 3 to the agreement, on page 22;
Annex 4 to the agreement, on page 23.
The manual need not be signed, but it is an integral part of the agreement.
In accordance with the Packaging Law, in populated areas that have a sufficient number of deposit stations, retailers may set up joint deposit stations, provided that the distance between such joint deposit stations does not exceed 500 metres.
If the area of your shopping floor is 60 m2 or more, you must sign an agreement for setting up an automated or manual deposit station with SIA Depozīta Iepakojuma Operators.
In accordance with Section 18.8 of the Packaging Law, retail outlets must sign an agreement with SIA Depozīta Iepakojuma Operators (DIO) if they are:
Located in the state cities (Daugavpils, Jēkabpils, Jelgava, Jūrmala, Liepāja, Rēzekne, Rīga, Valmiera, Ventspils, Ogre), and the area of their shopping floor is 300 m2 or more
Located in other administrative areas (outside cities, in rural areas), and the area of their shopping floor is 60 m2 or more
Regardless of the criteria prescribed in the law, DIO is open to considering any retailer’s interest in joining the deposit system, even if the area of its shopping floor is less than 60 m2. Setting up a deposit station on the premises will be a benefit to all retailers, because this is the best way to be environmentally conscious, attract new customers and at the same time not lose loyal customers who seek to quickly return the packaging they bought to the store, and then use the returned deposit fee to buy new products at the same store.
The duties and responsibilities of retailers as part of the deposit system can be found in the documents Manual packaging acceptance agreement and Automatic deposit acceptance agreement, available in the Documents section.
units of packaging per month
automatic deposit stations (reverse vending machines)
collection stations in total
manual deposit stations
units of packaging per month
units of packaging per month
automatic deposit stations (reverse vending machines)
collection stations in total
manual deposit stations
units of packaging per month
Manual acceptance of packaging takes place in stores where the expected number of units of packaging returned by customers does not exceed 3000 a month. On the other hand, for the stores where the monthly number of units of packaging returned exceeds 3000, DIO can deliver and install a reverse vending machine (RVM) for returning empty packaging, free of charge.
SIA Depozīta Iepakojuma Operators can provide all retailers with shopping floor dimensions that meet legal requirements, selling deposit products at a monthly rate of 3000 units (annual average) with free delivery and installation of RVMs for the automatic acceptance of empty deposit packaging. DIO also undertakes to maintain the RVMs and repair them in the event of defects or malfunctions.
To apply for the installation of an RVM in a store, please fill in the application form and send it to tirgotajs@dio.lv. DIO will assess the application, and reply to it within 2 weeks.
Current list of packaging accepted in the deposit system
Section 2 of Cabinet Regulation No. 519 of 11 August 2020 “Regulations Regarding the Operation of the Deposit System” – the deposit system operator shall have the right not to apply the deposit system to packaging which, due to its shape or technical characteristics, cannot be accepted automatically, with each such case being agreed with the State Environmental Service.
Packaging not subject to the deposit system because its shape or technical characteristics make it impossible to accept it automatically:
• beer with cherry flavour “BACCHUS KRIEK”, 5.8%, 375 ml, barcode 4751022200737;
• beer “BACCHUS Framboise”, 5%, 375 ml, barcode 5411081004316;
• beer “Liefmans Goudenband”, 8%, 750 ml, barcode 5411686301407;
• beer “Liefmans Kriek-Brut”, 6%, 750 ml, barcode 5411686700224.
From March 1st, 2024, a new retail handling fee will apply, calculated in accordance with the results of a calculation model developed by the independent auditor SIA "Deloitte Latvia". The new model provides for a further differentiation of the retail handling fee depending on the type of packaging accepted. The retail handling fee in force until 1 March 2024 is indicated in the table below.
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The deposit station management costs are covered by DIO. ,The amounts of the management fee for the second operating year (2023) can be found in the “Management fee and current rates” subsection.
Thus, the retailers do not have to incur in any additional costs associated with the installation and management of deposit stations. Estimates show that the management fee that DIO will pay retailers for every unit of packaging accepted will also cover any investments for setting up deposit stations, human resources and other expenses associated with accepting deposit packaging.
In a standard situation, no additional workforce is necessary. On average, an employee will have to spend some 15 to 30 minutes a day handling manual deposit station duties.
For manual deposit stations, these are as follows: receive the packaging from the customer, ensure that the label has the deposit sign and the barcode is intact; enter the number of packaging units and returned amount of money in the cash register; sort the packaging into bags and boxes following the information posters for retailers. For automatic deposit stations, this includes emptying the RVMand cleaning it once a day, and sorting the packaging following the information posters for retailers.
It is worth noting, however, that the amount of this work depends on how much packaging is returned, e.g., the maximum quantity a manual deposit station is expected to handle is 3000 units of packaging a month, or some 100 units a day, which is something a cash register attendant is able to handle on their own. For larger deposit stations, with two or more high-capacity RVMs and the number of units of packaging accepted reaching 150,000 a month, or more, a separate employee may be necessary to work on these tasks.
The packaging must be sorted and prepared for transportation using the instructions provided in the retailer manual, in the information materials issued to the retailer. DIO provides retailers with two types of free transport bags and boxes for storing the packaging.
Disposable glass bottles, refillable universal glass bottles, PET bottles and metal cans are picked up by the deposit system operator. The pick-up schedule is coordinated with the retailer.
The pick-up of packaging takes place subject to the agreed schedule, or as soon as the retailer accumulates 10 transport units (bags or boxes) of returned packaging. 1 bag or 3 boxes are equal to one transport unit. The minimum number of transport units accepted for pick-up at a deposit station is 8.
Custom-design refillable glass packaging is returned to the manufacturer, subject to agreement between the manufacturer and the retailer.
In conjunction with ‘Eco Baltia vide’, DIO handles the management of such packaging by providing retailers with free bins and disposal everywhere in Latvia.
At manual deposit stations, the packaging is accepted by the shop attendant/cash register operator. The employee must confirm that the packaging has the deposit sign on the label, and that the barcode is intact. The employee must then pay back the deposit fee for the packaging returned, or provide it as a discount for the purchase.
The deposit system operator provides all retailers that legally must accept deposit packaging and that expect to or actually receive at least 3000 returned units of deposit packaging a month with the possibility of delivering and installing RVMs for returning deposit packaging, free of charge. The operator also undertakes to maintain the RVMs and repair them in the event of defects or malfunctions.
A mains and internet connection is necessary for the operation of automatic deposit stations. Power consumption depends on the type of RVM, and the amount of packaging deposited. These costs are included in the management fee paid by DIO. The internet connection is necessary for the machine to send data and information about the amount of accepted packaging, the coupons issued, and the technical condition of the machine to the central database. It is also possible to use mobile internet. No internet connection is necessary for the manual acceptance of packaging.
RVMs must be cleaned in accordance with the instructions issued by the manufacturer, and as necessary. The manufacturer’s representatives will provide training in maintaining RVMs at the stores.
A transition period for the new deposit products is set between 1 January and 30 June 2023. During it, retailers will continue to sell products with both the old packaging without the deposit sign, and the new packaging that has the deposit sign and involves an additional fee of 10 cents, which can later be reimbursed by returning the empty packaging at a deposit station. Starting from 1 July 2023, only new packaging with deposit signs will be allowed in stores.
Beverages that are not sold can be relabelled with a registered barcode, a sample packaging and a Latvian deposit sign.
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