While deposit return systems have been successfully introduced for certain product categories in the EU, they would not be effective for consumer batteries. Batteries are often stored in households for many years, only a small share is returned through retail, and a deposit model would place a heavy administrative and financial burden on retailers.

A deposit system would also create risks of fraud and cross-border issues, offer no additional safety benefits, and perform worse than well-designed awareness campaigns and accessible collection systems.

We believe that any discussion on deposit return systems must be evidence-based and assessed against existing producer responsibility and collection schemes. The main objective should be to improve actual collection and consumer awareness without creating disproportionate burdens or undermining well-functioning national systems.