Quick Answer
To charge bottle deposit fees in Poland under the new System Kaucyjny, Shopify merchants must add a refundable fee at checkout for eligible beverage containers. Since Shopify doesn’t support this natively, the best way to charge deposit fees separately without raising base prices is by using a Shopify app like Magical Fees.
What Are Poland’s Bottle Deposit Fees?
Poland is launching a new bottle deposit system on October 1, 2025. Beverage merchants and distributors, including online merchants, will be required to charge a refundable deposit on covered drink containers sold in Poland. The following table covers the fees:
| Packaging Type | Volume Limit | Deposit Amount |
| Plastic bottles (single-use) | Up to 3 liters | PLN 0.50 |
| Metal cans (Up to 1 liter) | Up to 1 liter | PLN 0.50 |
| Glass bottles (reusable) | Up to 1.5 liters | PLN 1.00 |
When a customer returns the bottle to a designated return centre, they will be refunded a deposit. However most online retailers will not have to worry about accepting returns as this only applies to physical stores larger than 200 m².
For more details, the best resource on Poland’s new deposit scheme can be found on Poland’s Ministry of Climate and Environment’s website.
What Do Shopify Merchants Selling Beverages in Poland Need to Do?
If you sell eligible beverages to Polish customers, you must:
- Collect a refundable deposit at checkout (separately from the product price)
- Register with an authorized System Kaucyjny operator
- Remit the collected deposits to the operator
- Offer refunds when applicable (required only if your physical store is larger than 200 m², or if you opt in voluntarily)
- Ensure eligible beverage packaging is labeled with the official system logo, even if you’re selling from outside of Poland. Unlabeled containers can’t be refunded by customers, and your store could face penalties. More info.
Getting your systems ready to charge the deposit and ensuring your product packaging is compliant can take time. Businesses are expected to be fully prepared by the launch date. You can expect enforcement and compliance checks to begin immediately.
Failure to comply, such as not charging the deposit or using incorrect labeling, can result in monetary penalties under Polish law.
As an online merchant, you can choose to build these fees into your product prices or display them as separate charges at checkout. I recommend charging them separately.
When Ireland launched their own deposit return scheme, many Shopify merchants told me that baking the deposit into the product price led to noticeable price hikes that confused customers or hurt conversion. That’s why I always recommend charging the fee separately when possible.
How to Charge System Kaucyjny Fees on Shopify
If you’re trying to add custom fees in Shopify for Poland’s deposit return scheme, there’s no native way to do it. Shopify doesn’t support conditional fees at checkout out of the box. The only manual workaround is to inflate your product prices to include the deposit, but that’s not ideal.
The easier and more transparent solution is to use an app like Magical Fees. This app lets you:
- Create separate fees for plastic, metal, and glass drink containers
- Apply those fees only to the relevant products or collections
- Charge the fee only to customers located in Poland
The fee is displayed separately from the product price at checkout, so you don’t have to increase base prices. This keeps your product pricing clean, helps customers understand exactly what they’re being charged for, and makes it easier for you to track how much you’ve collected.
The app has an easy-to-use interface, doesn’t require any coding, and is trusted by thousands of Shopify merchants, including those setting up deposit fees for programs like Germany’s Pfand system. Friendly support is always available if you need help.
Key Takeaway
Poland’s new bottle deposit system takes effect on October 1, 2025, and sellers must charge a visible refundable fee on eligible plastic, metal, and glass beverage containers. Containers must also be labeled with the official system logo, even if introduced from outside Poland. To stay compliant without raising product prices, use an app to charge deposit fees separately and automatically.
Magical Product Fees
The Magical Product Fees app is a fast and easy way to build, customize, and attach fees to products or entire orders.