Moldova’s Packaging Deposit System Could Mobilize 1.3 Billion Lei in 2027

Deposit system scheduled for 2027

Moldova’s planned deposit-return system for plastic, glass and metal packaging could mobilize approximately 1.3 billion lei in consumer deposits during 2027, according to an analysis presented by Veaceslav Ioniță, an economic policy expert at IDIS Viitorul. The system is scheduled to begin in 2027 and would require consumers to pay about 2 lei for each eligible container. The money would be refunded when the packaging is returned to a collection point.

The financial scale will depend on the number of containers sold. Ioniță estimates that Moldova’s market could handle approximately 615 million plastic, glass and metal packages in 2026, up from 549 million in 2025 and 282 million in 2020. Had the proposed 2-lei deposit applied in 2026, consumers would have paid about 1.2 billion lei. Deposits could reach approximately 1.3 billion lei in 2027 and move toward 1.7 billion lei in subsequent years as the packaging market expands.

Beverage imports drive packaging volumes

Growth in retail activity and beverage imports underpins the forecast. Turnover among trading companies could approach 350 billion lei in 2026, compared with approximately 319 billion lei in 2025 and 171 billion lei in 2020, based on figures presented by Ioniță. The estimates for 2025 and 2026 remain subject to revision.

Beverage imports could exceed $165 million in 2026, rising from $134 million in 2025 and approximately $55 million in 2020. In physical terms, imports could reach around 252 million liters, against 237 million liters in 2025 and about 104 million liters in 2020. The number of imported bottles could increase to approximately 370 million in 2026, compared with 308 million in 2025, 151 million in 2020 and an estimated 126 million in 2016.

Forbes Romania reports that an estimated 60% of packaging placed on the Moldovan market is imported and made from plastic. This gives beverage importers and packaging suppliers a central role in implementation. Producers and importers may need to adapt labels, barcodes and reporting processes, while retailers will be expected to help provide convenient return infrastructure.

Unclaimed deposits require transparent management

Not every deposit is expected to be refunded because some containers will not be returned. In the system’s first year, Ioniță estimates that consumers could recover about 740 million lei from approximately 1.3 billion lei paid, leaving around 600 million lei unclaimed. He argued that these funds should not be treated as operator profit but should finance infrastructure and improvements to the collection mechanism.

Access to return points will be a key determinant of collection rates. Moldova has more than 1,000 large stores and several hundred small shops that could be integrated into the system. Return facilities will need to be close enough to consumers that claiming the deposit does not create significant additional cost or effort. Moldovans buy approximately 1.7 million bottles a day, and containers that are not effectively collected may enter disposal streams or the environment.

Administrative costs could affect smaller product lines

One proposal under discussion would require distinct barcodes for goods marketed in Moldova. The analysis estimates that an additional cost of 10 bani per container could produce annual expenses totaling tens of millions of lei. Ioniță said such requirements should be introduced only after their costs and benefits are assessed.

For producers and importers, excessive administrative requirements could raise compliance costs and make niche products harder to market. The state is expected to establish rules, methodology and control mechanisms, while operational administration would need transparent reporting of money collected and spent. Clear rules for collection and recycling will therefore determine whether the system converts a large financial flow into higher packaging recovery rather than additional cost for the beverage supply chain.