Pfand in Germany: How the Bottle Deposit Works (and What to Say at the Machine)
Pfand is a deposit you pay on most drinks containers and get back when you return them; the rules for Pfand Germany-wide are set by federal law. Single-use plastic bottles and cans (Einweg) always carry 25 cents; reusable bottles (Mehrweg) usually 8 to 15 cents. Return them at a supermarket machine and cash the receipt (Pfandbon) at the till.
The system looks complicated at first because there are two kinds of deposit, two logos and a lot of German on the machine screen. This guide explains the rules as of October 2026, the words you see and hear, and what to do when the machine refuses a bottle.
Einweg and Mehrweg: the two kinds of Pfand
| Einweg (single-use) | Mehrweg (reusable) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Used once, then recycled | Washed and refilled many times |
| Typical containers | Plastic (PET) bottles, cans | Glass bottles, some thicker plastic bottles, crates |
| Deposit | Always 25 cents | Usually 8–15 cents per bottle |
| Set by | The law (Verpackungsgesetz: at least 25 cents; in practice always exactly 25) | The bottle pools and producers, not the law |
| Marking | DPG logo with barcode; shelf label Einweg | Often Mehrweg printed on the bottle or label; shelf label Mehrweg |
| Where to return | Any shop that sells single-use containers of that material (rules below) | Usually shops that sell that type of bottle |
The single-use deposit applies to containers from 0.1 to 3 litres. Since 2022 almost all single-use plastic bottles and all cans have a deposit, and since 1 January 2024 this also covers milk and milk drinks in plastic bottles.
What has no Pfand?
- wine, sparkling wine, spirits and fruit juices in single-use glass bottles
- drinks cartons (Tetra Pak), pouches and foil bags
- some special cases, such as diet drinks for babies and toddlers
Glass bottles without deposit go into the bottle bank (der Altglascontainer), sorted by colour: Weißglas (clear), Braunglas (brown) and Grünglas (green; blue and other colours usually go here too). Use the containers only at the times shown on them, because the noise counts as a disturbance; see quiet hours in Germany. Cartons go into the yellow bin or yellow bag (Gelbe Tonne / Gelber Sack).
How to recognise a Pfand bottle
On single-use containers, look for the logo of the Deutsche Pfandsystem GmbH (DPG): a bottle and a can with an arrow, printed next to the barcode. It means: single-use, 25 cents deposit, 25 cents back.
On reusable bottles there is no single logo. Look for the word Mehrweg or Mehrwegflasche, a “Pfand” note on the label, or simply a heavy glass beer or water bottle. In the shop, the shelf must show whether a drink is Einweg or Mehrweg, and the deposit is listed separately from the price: 0,79 € zzgl. 0,25 € Pfand (0.79 plus 0.25 deposit).
How much is the bottle deposit in Germany?
These are the amounts for Pfand Germany-wide:
| Container | Deposit (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Single-use plastic bottle (water, cola, juice, milk drink) | 25 cents |
| Can (beer, energy drink, soft drink) | 25 cents |
| Reusable glass or plastic bottle | usually 8–15 cents, set by the producer pool |
| Crate (der Kasten) | has its own deposit on top of the bottles; check the receipt or the shelf label |
A six-pack of cans therefore costs 1.50 euros in deposit. You get exactly that back. Pfand is not a tax and not a fee: it is your money.
How the Pfandautomat works
Almost every supermarket has a return machine (der Pfandautomat or der Leergutautomat) near the entrance.
- Put the bottles in one by one, bottom first, label and barcode intact.
- The machine reads the barcode and the logo. Single-use bottles are usually crushed inside.
- For crates, larger machines have a separate opening for the whole Kasten.
- When you are finished, press the button (Bon, Fertig or a green button).
- The machine prints the Pfandbon with the total.
- At the till, hand over the bon. The amount is subtracted from your shopping, or paid out in cash if you buy nothing.
You do not have to buy anything to get your money back.
Messages on the machine screen
The exact wording differs by manufacturer, but these are typical:
| German message | English |
|---|---|
| Bitte Leergut einzeln einlegen. | Please insert empties one at a time. |
| Flasche wird nicht angenommen. | Bottle not accepted. |
| Bitte Flasche entnehmen. | Please remove the bottle. |
| Etikett nicht lesbar. | Label not readable. |
| Kein Pfandartikel. | Not a deposit item. |
| Bitte Taste für Bon drücken. | Press the button for your receipt. |
| Automat voll – bitte wenden Sie sich an das Personal. | Machine full, please contact staff. |
| Außer Betrieb | Out of order |
| Spenden | Donate (some machines let you donate the bon to charity) |
What to do when the machine says no
Machines work best with uncrushed bottles where the logo and barcode are readable, so do not squash cans or tear off labels. If a machine rejects a real deposit container, staff have to take it back by hand and refund it. According to consumer advice centres, a court ruling (OLG Stuttgart) confirmed that shops may not refuse dented deposit cans as long as the container can still be identified.
Bring the bottle to the till or to staff and say:
- Entschuldigung, der Automat nimmt die Flasche nicht. (Excuse me, the machine won’t take the bottle.)
- Das ist eine Pfandflasche, hier ist das Logo. (This is a deposit bottle, here is the logo.)
- Der Automat ist voll. Können Sie ihn bitte leeren? (The machine is full. Can you empty it, please?)
- Der Automat ist kaputt. Kann ich das Leergut an der Kasse abgeben? (The machine is broken. Can I hand in the empties at the till?)
If a shop wrongly refuses, ask for the store manager first (Kann ich bitte mit dem Filialleiter sprechen?). Consumer advice centres say the next step is the local waste authority (untere Abfallbehörde) of your town.
Model dialogue at the till
Sie: Hallo, ich habe noch einen Pfandbon.
Kassierer: Danke. Das sind 3,75 Euro. Soll ich das verrechnen?
Sie: Ja, bitte. Und eine Frage: Der Automat nimmt diese Dose nicht.
Kassierer: Zeigen Sie mal. Ah, die ist ein bisschen eingedrückt, aber das Pfandzeichen ist da. Kein Problem, ich nehme sie so.
Sie: Super, danke!
You: Hi, I’ve got a deposit receipt too. / Cashier: Thanks. That’s 3.75 euros. Shall I take it off your total? / You: Yes, please. And a question: the machine won’t take this can. / Cashier: Let me see. Ah, it’s a bit dented, but the deposit logo is there. No problem, I’ll take it like this. / You: Great, thanks!
Practise the conversation first
Short service conversations like this one are where most learners freeze, even when they know the words. SipLingo lets you rehearse everyday shop situations by voice with an AI partner and corrects your grammar and word order instantly, explained in your own language. Practise everyday German out loud.
Where can I return Pfand bottles?
The take-back rules for Pfand Germany-wide depend on the type of container and the size of the shop.
Single-use (Einweg). Shops with more than 200 m² of sales space, such as supermarkets, discounters and drinks stores, must take back single-use deposit containers of every material they sell, regardless of brand or where you bought them. If a supermarket sells cola in plastic bottles, it must also accept a plastic water bottle bought elsewhere. Small shops under 200 m², such as kiosks and small petrol station shops, only have to take back the brands they sell themselves.
Reusable (Mehrweg). There is no equally clear legal duty for every shop. In practice, supermarkets and drinks stores (der Getränkemarkt) usually take back the reusable bottles and crates they sell. A drinks store is the safest place for full crates.
Mixed bags. You can put Einweg and Mehrweg bottles into the same machine one after the other; the bon shows the total.
What do I do with the Pfandbon?
- Redeem it at the till of the same store where you printed it. The bon is linked to that branch’s system, so other branches, even of the same chain, often cannot accept it, though some do as a goodwill gesture.
- You do not need to buy anything; ask for cash: Kann ich mir den Bon auszahlen lassen?
- Do not throw it away. According to Verbraucherzentrale NRW, a bon is valid for three years from the end of the year it was printed, although many shops will not know this.
- Some machines offer a donation button, and some shops have a box for donating the bon.
Common Pfand mistakes
- Crushing cans and bottles. It saves space but often stops the machine from reading them.
- Taking the label off. Without the barcode the machine cannot identify the bottle.
- Throwing Pfand bottles in the yellow bin. You throw away 25 cents each time. Many people leave bottles next to public bins instead, so others can collect the deposit.
- Putting wine bottles in the machine. Most single-use glass wine bottles have no deposit; they go to the bottle bank.
- Forgetting the bon in the machine. It prints only once.
- Expecting the same rules in Austria and Switzerland. Austria introduced its own single-use deposit system in January 2025, and Switzerland works differently; check local rules there.
Vocabulary: Pfand words
| German | English |
|---|---|
| das Pfand | deposit |
| die Pfandflasche, die Pfandflaschen | deposit bottle |
| das Leergut | empties |
| die Einwegflasche | single-use bottle |
| die Mehrwegflasche | reusable bottle |
| die Dose, die Dosen | can |
| der Kasten, die Kästen | crate |
| der Pfandautomat / der Leergutautomat | return machine |
| der Pfandbon | deposit receipt |
| das Pfandzeichen / das Pfandlogo | deposit logo |
| der Getränkemarkt | drinks store |
| der Altglascontainer | bottle bank |
| das Weißglas / das Braunglas / das Grünglas | clear / brown / green glass |
| zurückgeben | to return |
| einlösen | to redeem |
| abgeben | to hand in |
| verrechnen | to offset (against the bill) |
Useful phrases:
- Wo ist der Pfandautomat? (Where is the return machine?)
- Kann ich den Bon einlösen? (Can I redeem the receipt?)
- Ist auf der Flasche Pfand? (Is there a deposit on this bottle?)
- Nehmen Sie auch Kästen zurück? (Do you take crates back too?)
- Wo kann ich Glas ohne Pfand entsorgen? (Where can I dispose of glass without a deposit?)
For the rest of the shopping trip, from the deli counter to the cashier’s questions, see German supermarket phrases, and for drinks vocabulary see German food words. If numbers like drei fünfundsiebzig still go past too fast, practise with German numbers.
This is general information, not legal advice. Checked in October 2026 against the Federal Government’s page on the extended single-use deposit, Verbraucherzentrale NRW and Verbraucherzentrale Hamburg (scope, 200 m² rule, Pfandbon validity, damaged containers) and the Austrian government portal oesterreich.gv.at.
Official sources
For the official details and the latest updates, see:
- Umweltbundesamt (UBA): Reusable vs single-use bottles and deposits (German) – 8/15 cent reusable vs 25 cent single-use deposit and how to tell them apart
Frequently asked questions
How does Pfand work in Germany?
You pay a deposit when you buy a drink in a deposit bottle or can and get it back when you return the empty container. Return it at a machine in a shop, take the printed bon to the till and get the money off your shopping or in cash.
How much is the bottle deposit in Germany (wie viel Pfand gibt es)?
Single-use bottles and cans always carry 25 cents. Reusable bottles usually carry 8 to 15 cents, and crates have their own extra deposit.
Where can I return Pfand bottles?
Any shop over 200 m² that sells single-use containers of the same material must accept them, wherever you bought them. Small kiosks only take the brands they sell; reusable bottles are best returned to supermarkets or drinks stores that sell them.
What is Einweg and Mehrweg?
Einweg containers are used once and recycled, with a fixed 25-cent deposit and the DPG logo. Mehrweg bottles are washed and refilled, usually with 8 to 15 cents deposit.
What do I do with the Pfandbon?
Hand it in at the till of the same store where you printed it; the amount comes off your bill or is paid in cash. You do not need to buy anything.
Next time you return bottles, say one full sentence in German at the till instead of just handing over the bon.
