According to calculations by an economic policy expert at IDIS Viitorul, assuming a deposit of about 2 lei per package, citizens could pay approximately 1.3 billion lei in 2027, and as the market grows, this amount could rise to 1.7 billion lei in subsequent years. The expert noted that shoppers will be able to get their money back after returning the containers, so the effectiveness of the mechanism will depend on the availability of collection points, the transparency of the system's management, and the established procedure for using unclaimed funds. According to Veaceslav Ionita's estimate, if the system were in place in 2026, the amount of deposits made would be about 1.2 billion lei. By way of comparison, the expert estimates this year's property tax revenue from households at approximately 600 million lei. He estimates that in the system's first year of operation, out of the expected 1.3 billion lei, consumers could receive a refund of about 740 million lei, while about 600 million lei would remain unclaimed. In his view, these funds should not become the operator's profit but should be directed toward developing the collection infrastructure and improving the system's efficiency. According to the presented calculations, in 2026, approximately 615 million units of plastic, glass, and metal containers could be sold on the Moldovan market, compared to 549 million in 2025 and 282 million in 2020. According to the analyst's estimate, approximately 60% of the packaging consists of imported products and plastic containers. Veaceslav Ionita believes that the government should establish rules for the deposit system, a methodology for calculating costs, and control mechanisms, while operational management should be conducted transparently, with the publication of data on revenues, expenses, and the use of unclaimed deposits. In his view, more than 1,000 large stores and several hundred small ones should be integrated into the system, with return points located as close as possible to consumers. The expert also called for an assessment of the costs associated with additional labeling requirements. In particular, the introduction of a separate identifier or barcode costing 10 bani per unit of packaging could impose additional costs on consumers amounting to tens of millions of lei per year and reduce the range of niche imported products, if suppliers deem compliance with the requirements economically unfeasible. As a reminder, a deposit system for packaging is planned to be introduced in Moldova starting in 2027. It is expected to encourage the return of packaging, increase the volume of packaging collected and recycled, and reduce environmental pollution. // 18.09.2026 — InfoMarket.