From Expectations to Experience: Consumer Perceptions and Behaviour in the First Year of Hungary’s Deposit-Refund System

Abstract

The Deposit-Refund System (DRS) was introduced in Hungary in 2024 as a new element of the country’s waste management framework to strengthen circular economy objectives. Before the system implementation, consumer attitudes and expectations were explored in a large-scale survey conducted by Sz?cs et al. (2024), which identified both promising support and considerable concerns regarding the system’s economic, environmental, and practical implications. Building on this earlier research present study looks at the first year of the Hungarian DRS operation and focuses on how consumers experienced the system compared to their earlier expectations. Based on a nationwide reach consumer survey (N = 527) conducted in mid-2025, reveals that 96.6% of the respondents used the system at least once, and over 75% expressed positive or neutral experience. Overall environmental motivation and general understanding of the system were strong. However, technical problems such as machine malfunctions (reported by 72.7% of respondents) and practical issues (like limited storage space at home) still cause difficulties. Interestingly, respondents with higher environmental awareness tended to evaluate the system more positively, even when they encountered these problems. Although acceptance of the DRS has grown in some groups, ongoing challenges related to convenience, infrastructure, and communication continue to influence overall satisfaction. By comparing preliminary attitudes with implementation experiences, this study provides a systematic evaluation of the DRS’s first-year performance and offers evidence-based insights for policymakers, system operators, and stakeholders to improve effectiveness and public trust in long term.