Beverage producers can now register their products in Romania

Alina Oprea

10 October, 2023 at 10:10 AM

RetuRO, the administrator of the National Guarantee-Return System (SGR), has announced the opening of the Packaging Register for the registration of all products that will be part of the system. All Romanian producers of beverages (water, soft drinks, beer, cider, wine, spirits) in non-reusable primary packaging made of glass, plastic, or metal, with volumes between 0.1 l and 3 l inclusive, can now register their products their SGR in the RetuRO platform. RetuRO, the administrator of SGR, contributes to the sustainable development of Romania, through the responsible management of packaging waste, in order to reach the recycling targets imposed on Romania by the European Union.

Product registration in the SGR Packaging Register is free until January 1, 2024; after this date, the fee established according to the service contract between RetuRO and the producers will be charged.

To begin the registration process, producers must access the RetuRO website and log into their personal account; later, in the My Profile category, a guide will be available showing the steps to follow in the platform to successfully register SGR products. Manufacturers have two options to register products: individually or multiple. For manufacturers with multiple products to register, multi-registration is usually the recommended option, as more products can be added incrementally and all products can be uploaded for simultaneous registration. Successful completion of product registration in the platform will be signaled by receiving a confirmation email.

"RetuRO encourages all manufacturers to choose the option favorable to their needs, depending on their business profile, and to complete product registration as soon as possible. It is also very important that the information provided by manufacturers in the SGR Packaging Register is correct and accurate because, subsequently, this data will be used for the recognition of SGR products at all collection points, including beverage packaging vending machines (RVM); therefore, the involvement of producers in this process is crucial for the proper functioning of the Guarantee-Return System in Romania", announced RetuRO.

RetuRO's mission is to implement Romania's largest circular economy project - the Guarantee-Return System. With the help of this project, Romania will benefit from a cleaner and greener environment and will reach the collection and recycling targets imposed at the European level by the new circular economy package of the European Union. The Guarantee-Return system will boost the recycling market in Romania, offering significant quantities and quality of raw materials.

RetuRO Sistem Garanție Returnare SA is a company that operates on the principle of not-for-profit - which means that any profit made by the company following the collection of beverage packaging will be reinvested, exclusively, in the development of SGR. The company was created by a consortium of three private shareholders: the Association of Romanian Brewers for the Environment (30%), the Association of Soft Drink Manufacturers for Sustainability (30%), and the Association of Retailers for the Environment (20%) and a public shareholder, the Romanian state, through the central environmental authority, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests (20%).