The warning comes after reports that some customers were charged the deposit on bottles and cans that are not yet included in the system, particularly in restaurants, cafés and fast-food outlets.

According to SDR Portugal, the organisation responsible for managing the scheme, only packaging displaying the official “Volta” symbol is subject to the refundable deposit. Containers without the symbol should continue to be disposed of through the usual recycling channels, such as the yellow recycling bin.

Portugal's deposit return scheme became operational on 10 April and covers single-use beverage containers made of plastic, metal and aluminium with a capacity of less than three litres.

For now, consumers may notice a mix of old and new packaging in shops. While some bottles and cans already carry the Volta symbol, others do not, which means not all drinks are subject to the deposit scheme yet.

For eligible containers, consumers pay the deposit at the time of purchase and receive the money back when they return the empty packaging to a participating collection point or reverse-vending machine.

Why restaurants and cafés can cause confusion

The situation can be less clear in restaurants, cafés and fast-food establishments, particularly when drinks are sold as part of a meal deal. In these cases, individual barcodes may not always be scanned.

Consumer organisation Deco has warned that if a business's payment system is configured to automatically apply the deposit, customers could be charged even when the packaging does not carry the “Volta” symbol.

What consumers should do

SDR Portugal advises consumers to check the packaging carefully if they are unsure whether the deposit should apply.

If the “Volta” symbol is not present, the 10-cent deposit should not be charged. Likewise, those containers should not be returned through the Volta deposit system and should instead be recycled through the appropriate recycling bin.

The organisation also stresses that the deposit is not a tax or additional fee. It is a refundable amount that is returned in full when eligible packaging is handed in correctly.

For now, the key message is simple: before paying a deposit or expecting a refund, check whether the packaging displays the “Volta” symbol.

Until the transition period ends in August, this quick check can help consumers avoid unnecessary charges and ensure containers are disposed of correctly. Packaging with the symbol belongs in the deposit return scheme, while packaging without it should continue to be recycled through the yellow recycling bin.