Gregory Stratulat
There are many concerns in society and in the business community about the future deposit system. How willit workfinancially ?
Indeed, the system is new, and there are a lot of questions around it. But the basic model is simple. The key element of the deposit system for packaging (glass, metal or plastic) is a deposit of 2 lei, which is paid by the consumer when buying a product. Every product subject to the system will include this deposit. It is not the seller’s or administrator’s income: it is the consumer’s money, which must be returned to him when the packaging is returned.
During the launch phase, producers are involved in building a financial base so that the administrator has the resources to ensure that deposits are returned to sellers. This is necessary to maintain liquidity at the start-up.
This is the whole logic: the consumer pays the deposit, the deposit circulates in the system, the merchant returns the deposit to the consumer, and the system pays the merchant for the collected packaging.
The law provides for a single SDAadministrator with solid authority. How many applications have you received?
According to the regulations, the logic assumes one model and one administrator. The procedure for its selection is very simple: associations of producers and merchants can apply for the tender with a strict condition – their structure must cover 3/5 of the market of drinks falling under the SDA that were in circulation in 2024. This means that the competitor covers about 70% of the market, so we were expecting only one applicant for the competition. However, two applications were submitted.
The first one was submitted by the Eco-Ret Moldova Association: it includes Efes Moldova, Carlsberg, Rusnac-MoldAqua and others. The second application was submitted by Moldreturo, which unites mainly chain retailers.
This meant the need for another check of the justifications.
We requested additional documents from both bidders to confirm the stated criteria. The Commission concluded that the materials provided were insufficient, so both bids were rejected.
A new deadline was set for resubmission of documents. The key requirement is proof of at least 3/5 of the beverage turnover of participating deposit system beverages. Those that meet the requirements will proceed to the next stage. The remainder will be rejected without further consideration.
What is the main difference between the two competitors?
Both models have a theoretical right to exist. One association has more producers, the other has more merchants.
It is important to note that many merchants are both importers and, in fact, producers. They introduce products into the market and fall into both categories.
In addition, there are two retailer associations. One has line retailing and the other has a different configuration of retail operators. One of the structures concentrates a significant share of the market – about 50%, but for us it is not a formal association that is fundamental, but proof of the real volume.
Why is it so difficult to determine who really covers 70% of the market?
The main difficulty lies in statistics. We rely on the official data of the National Bureau of Statistics and the Customs Service to determine the total share of products on the market. But producers often declare volumes in liters, and some products may be sold in packaging that does not fall under the deposit system (e.g. kegs of 5, 6, 9 liters).
This creates methodological difficulties when calculating the exact proportion of the total volume of packaging. We therefore insist on correct and confirmed calculations.
Why do you emphasize exactly 3/5 of the market?
We need to understand the volumes in order to calculate the infrastructure correctly. This determines the number of collection points, the capacity of the processing center, the necessary transport fleet, logistics, equipment, and additional infrastructure elements.
If the majority of producers and sellers are in one system, it reduces the pressure on administrative tariffs and simplifies calculations. The more participants, the lower the pressure on the administration tariff.
What exactly are the tariffs envisioned and who pays them?
There are two types of tariffs. The first is the administrative tariff, which is paid by the producer to the system administrator. It covers collection, transportation, accounting for packaging, organizing logistics, and ensuring operational activities.
The second is the operational tariff, which the administrator pays to merchants for organizing collection points. The merchant incurs specific costs: placement of taromats (container collection machines), electricity, internet, security, refunds to the consumer. This discomfort should be compensated.
At the same time, merchants do not pay for the costs of transportation, logistics – this is the responsibility of the administrator.
It is important to emphasize: the more producers participate in the system, the less administrative burden on the tariff.
Garbage is a lot of money. How much do you estimate the launch of the whole system to cost?
At the stage of preparing the law, we estimated the initial volume of investments at the level of 15-20 million euros. This is a rough estimate based on the experience of Romania, Lithuania, Slovakia and other countries.
The actual amount will depend on the scale of the system: the number of collection points, selected technological solutions, logistics and transportation, sorting and recycling equipment.
Is the state financially investing in the launch of SDA?
No, the state will not participate in financing. It is 100% private investment. We create the rules and regulatory policy, and business creates the infrastructure.
If an investor invests 20 million euros, can we talk about profit in the SDAsystem ?
No. The deposit system is not a classic profit-generating economic system. That is why the form of an association was chosen. It is a tool for administration and coordination, not a commercial project for profit.
The main goal of the whole project is to reduce waste and accelerate the development of the recycling industry.
Areyou guided by international models or are you inventing a “Moldovan bicycle”?
All deposit systems in the world are national, adapted to the local market. There is no universal model. We analyzed the experience of Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and other countries, and everywhere there are common principles – maximizing the collection and return of packaging. But the retail structure, market volumes, and consumer behavior are different in each country.
Moldova has its own peculiarities: trade model, scale of producers, turnover, level of retail concentration. Therefore, the system should be adapted to the national market.
When is the Moldovan SDAexpected to be launched?
We are oriented towards January 2027. But this requires cooperation between competitors. Producers and retailers compete on the market, but they must unite within the framework of this system. And it should be cooperation both economic and social.
I would like to note that in the world practice no country has launched a deposit tare system with a fully ready infrastructure. Some services were outsourced, some infrastructure was built gradually.
Are there any risks of not meeting the deadline?
There are risks. At least because market operators always take a long time to start up. Even with the application – they waited until the last day, even though they had three months before the deadline. There are also methodological difficulties. But the main risk factor remains the consolidation of players.
Are you personally optimistic about the project?
Absolutely. Perhaps my optimism supports others. If I were not optimistic, I would not have been so actively involved in the development of this system. There are risks, but I expect a successful outcome.
