Preliminary opinion of consumers on the new deposit-refund system in Hungary

Abstract

In Hungary, from January 1, 2024, the Government Decree of the 450/2023 (X. 4.) regulates the conditions for establishing and applying the deposit fee for pet bottles, metal cans, and glass bottles. The new Deposit-Refund System has been of serious interest among Hungarian consumers, since its rules interfere in the everyday lives of ordinary people, sometimes imposing a greater or lesser financial burden on them. The aim of our research was to find out the preliminary perceptions of Hungarian consumers about this system even before its introduction, since these perceptions can significantly influence its consumer acceptance in the future and provide an opportunity to examine and deal with critical factors in advance, and to reduce preliminary consumer concerns. To reach our research aim we conducted an online consumer survey with 8225 people. According to our results, about half of the respondents consider the introduction of the new rules to be a promising idea, but at the same time, two-thirds of the respondents feel more or less discomfort about the new system. The preliminary expectations are therefore mostly negative, especially in the ‘Those worried’ and ‘Those refusing’ consumer segments. In addition to discomfort, environmental doubts and economic concerns also appear in consumer opinions, which can hinder the adoption of the new system.