More than 2.8 billion PET bottles and aluminum cans were returned through the Swedish deposit return system (DRS) in 2024 – an increase by almost 6 percent compared to the previous year. This means that, on average, every person in Sweden recycled 271 containers last year, according to fresh data from Returpack/Pantamera, the operator of the country’s DRS.
The Swedish DRS ensures that collected PET bottles and aluminum cans are turned into new ones, instead of being downcycled into lower quality products. This reduces the need for new virgin materials and significantly cuts carbon emissions. In 2024 alone, Sweden’s deposit system prevented over 180 000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions – equivalent to a full year’s emissions from a medium-sized Swedish city.
In the DRS, PET bottles and aluminum cans stay in a closed recycling loop, which is crucial for achieving true circularity. Unlike standard recycling, where materials often degrade in quality and get repurposed into other products, the deposit system keeps valuable materials in continuous use for their original purpose, so that they can become new bottles and cans, over and over again, said Sara Bergendorff, head of sustainability and quality at Returpack/Pantamera.
Deposit increase aims to drive recycling rates above 90 percent
Sweden’s DRS has been built on 40 years of collaboration between beverage producers, retailers, and engaged consumers. The system’s high return rates and strict quality control make it a model for other countries looking to improve recycling infrastructure and minimize waste.
In 2024, Sweden’s deposit return rate reached 87.6 percent, just short of the 90 percent target. The deposit increase announced in January 2025 aims to further push recycling rates while reinforcing the importance of returning every bottle
and can.
“We often call bottle and can recycling Sweden’s smallest climate action – because everyone can contribute to the environment and climate simply by returning their containers instead of throwing them away or placing them in the regular recycling” said Bergendorff.
Published May 2025
