SDR Portugal announced that Volta, the brand of the Beverage Packaging Deposit and Reimbursement System, exceeded 305 million packages returned since the system launched on April 10, five months ago. The number of packages returned tripled in the last two months, after the system reached 100 million in July. Currently, approximately 5 million packages are returned per day, equivalent to more than 3,400 per minute and approximately 57 per second.
The growth in returns has been accompanied by the expansion of the collection network, which currently has more than 3,000 automatic Volta Points, installed in supermarkets and hypermarkets, in addition to manual Volta Points for smaller establishments. The network also includes Volta kiosks, designed for the return of large quantities of packages, with the capacity to collect approximately 120 packages per minute. Of the 12 already contracted, seven are operational in Albufeira, Barcelos, Cascais, Funchal, Ponta Delgada, Portimão, and Vila Nova de Famalicão.
SDR Portugal's president, Leonardo Mathias, classified the milestone as "extraordinary," emphasizing that the number of packages returned tripled in less than two months, which he considered a clear expression of citizens' adoption of the system. The executive also praised the contribution of SDR Portugal's member companies — producers, distributors, packagers, and retailers — whose joint effort he considered decisive for implementing the infrastructure throughout the country.
The system covers single-use beverage packaging, such as plastic bottles and aluminum and steel cans, up to three liters, with a deposit value of 0.10 euros per package, fully reimbursed at the time of return. In addition to Volta Points and Kiosks, catering and hospitality establishments can use the Direct Collection service to request the pickup of packages.
