Everyday Germany, decoded

Bottle Recycling
& Pfand in Germany

How to identify returnable bottles, use a Pfand machine, collect your refund and recycle containers the machine does not accept.

Check a container Try the machine
Start here

The deposit is part of the price - until you return it

Pfand is added at checkout and refunded when an eligible empty container comes back to a participating shop. It is separate from normal household recycling.

Einweg

Most single-use plastic beverage bottles and drink cans carry a €0.25 deposit.

Mehrweg

Reusable bottles and crates have deposits that vary by container and return system.

Where to return

Look near the entrance, checkout or beverage area for a Pfandautomat or Leergutautomat.

Interactive identifier

Does this container belong in the machine?

Choose a common container to see the likely route. The logo, label and retailer system are the final check.

Select a container

We will show the most likely return route and what to check.

Do not crush it first

The machine normally needs to read the barcode and recognise the shape. Keep the label attached and the container reasonably intact.

Guided simulation

Try a Pfandautomat before you face one

Insert containers one at a time, watch the total and choose how to finish. Real machine options vary by retailer and branch.

CONTAINERS ACCEPTED
0€0.00
PFANDBON

Your deposit receipt

Containers0
Total€0.00

Choose a container to start.

Paper voucher

Scan it at self-checkout or give it to the cashier. It should normally be used at the branch that issued it.

Digital voucher

Some retailers connect returns to their own app. Availability is retailer- and machine-specific.

Donation

Some machines offer a voluntary Spenden option or print a voucher for a nearby donation box.

Rejection helper

The machine said no. What now?

Select the closest problem. When you believe the container is eligible, ask supermarket staff rather than abandoning the deposit automatically.

Choose the machine message

You may see Artikel nicht erkannt, Artikel nicht im Sortiment, Kein Pfandartikel or Barcode nicht lesbar.

The real-world sequence

Four steps from empty bottle to refund

Empty the container

It does not normally need washing, but significant liquid should be removed.

Insert it horizontally

Wait until the machine accepts one container before adding the next. Crates may use a separate lower opening.

Watch the total

The display adds each accepted deposit. Stop and ask staff if an eligible container is repeatedly rejected.

Choose your outcome

Print a Pfandbon, use an offered digital option or donate where available. A purchase is not required to request your deposit back.

Tap-to-learn vocabulary

Words you will see at the machine

Tap a card to mark it as learned.