The return of the glass deposit experimented from 2025 in four regions of the West and the North

“From May 2025, 16 million French people will be able to buy consumer products in reusable packaging in large food retailers” in Pays de la Loire, Brittany, Normandy and Hauts-de-France, announced the eco-organization Citeo.

The return of the glass deposit will be tested in four large regions in the northwest of France from May 2025, announced on Wednesday July 3 the outgoing government and the eco-organization Citeo, which hope to eventually “generalization” at national scale.

“From May 2025, 16 million French people will be able to buy consumer products in reusable packaging in large food stores in four major regions in the west and north of France (Pays de la Loire, Brittany, Normandy, Hauts-de-France)”, Citeo said in a press release.

Citeo is financed by packaging producers to provide financial support to local authorities and organize collection in the yellow bin throughout the country.

From May 2025“the first reusable standardized packaging”, created by Citeo, “will be available in supermarkets”, said Jean Hornain, CEO of Citeo, quoted in the press release. He hopes that “reduce the environmental impact of packaging”.

The production of this packaging is planned from October 2024, according to Citeo, which is counting on the installation of collection devices in stores from March 2025. The main products concerned, according to the government: beer bottles, but also fruit juice bottles, as well as jars of canned food.

This initiative, developed with the support of the Brasseurs de France union, which brings together the biggest players in the sector, “starts from an observation, the increase in glass prices last year during the energy crisis”, the government said during a press briefing on Wednesday evening.

In addition to the environmental benefits of the approach, which is much less energy-intensive than producing new bottles, food industry players also hope to partially rebuild their margins.