Deposit Bottles & Cans in Croatia: How It Works in Novalja
Introduction: Deposit in Croatia
Anyone traveling to Zrće Beach for a festival for the first time and buying drinks for the crew at the supermarket in Novalja (like Plodine, Hiper Novalis, or Konzum) quickly wonders: Is there a deposit here? And how do we get the money back?
The short answer: Yes, Croatia has a functioning deposit system! However, it differs significantly in some key points from the German system. So you don't just throw your empty cans and bottles in the trash (or mistakenly try to put them in the wrong machine), here’s the ultimate zrce.de deposit guide for your party vacation!
The Hard Facts: How Much Deposit Is There in Croatia?
In Croatia, the deposit is referred to as "Povratna naknada".
The Amount: The one-way deposit is uniformly €0.10 (10 cents) per bottle or can.
What is subject to deposit? Almost all one-way beverage containers made of plastic (PET), aluminum (cans), and glass starting from a size of 0.2 liters. This applies to beer cans, cola bottles, mineral water, and most mixed drinks.
⚠️ Important: Pay attention to the Croatian deposit logo!
You only get the 10 cents back if the official Croatian deposit symbol or the text "50 lipa" or "POVRAТNA NAKNADA 10¢" is printed on the bottle or can. Bottles that you may have brought from Germany in your car will not be accepted by the machine in Croatia!
Where and How to Return the Deposit in Novalja?
Returning the deposit in Croatia is a bit more "rustic" than at home and sometimes requires a bit of patience – especially during the festival peak season.
1. Large Supermarkets (Plodine & Co.)
In the large supermarkets on the outskirts of Novalja, there are often automatic return stations (empty bottle machines). These are often located in a separate small room right next to the main entrance or in the parking lot. You feed the machine with the bottles and receive a voucher that you can redeem at the checkout when shopping or get paid out in cash.
2. Manual Return at the Counter
In many smaller stores or when the machine is acting up again, the return is done manually. Often there is a window or hatch in the back area of the supermarkets where an employee counts the bottles by hand and issues you a handwritten or printed receipt.
⚠️ The Golden Rule: The Bottles Must NOT Be Crumpled!
In Germany, the machine doesn’t care if the can is crushed as long as the barcode is readable. In Croatia, it’s different! The machines and employees often only accept cans and plastic bottles if they are completely undamaged and in their original shape. So don’t crush your cans while partying in the apartment!
zrce.de Insider Tips for the Party Crew
Collect the Bottles Separately: Don’t let the empty cans and bottles lie around in the apartment. Collect them in a separate trash bag.
Do Something Good: If you don’t feel like standing in line at the deposit machine on departure day, simply place the bag with the collected bottles cleanly and visibly next to the trash bins on the street. Local bottle collectors (often elderly people) will be very happy about the extra income.
Use the zrce.de Last-Minute Deals: If you want to save even more on accommodation than on the deposit, check directly through our menu in the category "Offers" -> "Sale %". There we regularly offer great accommodations in Novalja for spontaneous crews with discounts of up to 66%!
[👉 Check out last-minute apartments in Novalja on zrce.de and book your summer vacation!]