Although some stores have extended hours or are even open non-stop, Romanians can hand over packaging with the SGR logo only in a well-established time frame.
The reason why SGR packages cannot be handed over at any time, although the shops are still open
Although recycling machines are available 24/7, public order legislation imposes restrictions on their use during certain hours. According to the law, consumers or end users of products in packaging included in the guarantee-return system (SGR) can return the packaging to any return point organized by traders in Romania, regardless of the place of purchase of the product and without the need to present the tax receipt for warranty recovery.
Instead, merchants in the SGR program must display the address and schedule of the return point, regardless of whether the package is picked up through an RVM device or directly from the store.
Thus, even if an RVM machine is located in a store with a non-stop program, handing over SGR packages is not possible at any time of the day or night. This is due to the provisions of Law 61/1991 on public order and peace, which prohibits the production of noise between 22:00-8:00 and 13:00-14:00. This includes the noise made by the people handing over the packaging or the recycling machines themselves.
These regulations apply to shops located near residential areas, not isolated ones.
For this reason, and many others, more than half of the Romanians who participated in a survey regarding the Return Guarantee System (SGR) expressed their dissatisfaction with the way it functions.
The most recent study carried out by Reveal Marketing Research aimed to find out more details about the attitudes and behaviors of Romanians regarding the Guarantee-Return System for the packaging of bottled drinks, which became functional starting at the end of last year (November 30, 2023 ).
In the view of Romanians, the main solutions for improving the Warranty-Return System are represented by increasing the number of return points (55%) and information and education campaigns (24%).
In November 2023, 44% of Romanians considered that they will not change their buying and consumption behavior of bottled drinks with the implementation of the Guarantee-Return System. Currently, the percentage of those who declare that they have not changed their habits increases to 59%, the data indicating that Romanians have adapted better than expected to the new waste management system.
