Plastic beer crates at the buy-back centre — which crates are accepted, deposit rates and wholesale sales

Beer crates at the buy-back centre — what you should know before you visit

Plastic beer crates are one of the most recognisable elements of the returnable packaging system in Poland. They end up in homes, restaurant storerooms, shops and wholesalers — and just as often pile up in basements, garages or back rooms of catering establishments. If you have a surplus and want to get cash for them, the Skup Butelek Poznań buy-back point at ul. Górecka 6 is exactly the place to go.

In this article we explain which crates we accept, how much you can get for each one, how wholesale sales work and why it is worth visiting us in person or submitting an enquiry online.

Which plastic beer crates are accepted at the buy-back centre?

Not every crate is the same — they differ in size, colour, manufacturer and intended use. At our buy-back point at Górecka 6 we accept the most commonly found types of crates that form part of the Polish deposit system and wholesale trade:

• Crates for 0.5 l bottles — the most common format, capacity of 20 or 24 bottles, colours: green, yellow, brown (depending on the brewery).
• Crates for 0.33 l bottles — a smaller format used, among others, by craft breweries and for sales of beer in smaller bottles.
• Crates for 1 l bottles — large, heavy, less commonly seen but accepted at the buy-back centre.
• Universal crates — certain formats used by several manufacturers simultaneously, marked with a returnable packaging symbol.
• Crates from regional and national breweries — including Żywiec, Tyskie, Lech, Okocim, Carlsberg Polska and other brands operating within the deposit system.

The full price list for buying plastic beer crates is available on our website. It is worth checking it before you visit, especially if you have a larger quantity of packaging.

What is the deposit value for a beer crate?

The deposit value for a plastic beer crate depends on its type, manufacturer and current market rates. In the Polish deposit system, rates are set by breweries and distributors; however, at a buy-back centre you can recover real cash — with no waiting, no bureaucracy and no need to present a proof of purchase.

Approximate price ranges for crates accepted at our point:

• Standard crates for 0.5 l bottles — from a few to over a dozen zlotys per unit (depending on condition and model).
• Crates for 1 l bottles — often valued higher due to their larger size and greater amount of plastic material.
• Crates in damaged or heavily soiled condition — priced on an individual basis.

If you have a question about a specific crate model or want to estimate the value of your stock before visiting, use the wholesale valuation and online enquiry form. We respond quickly and to the point.

Buying back bottles without a receipt — is it possible?

Yes. At the Skup Butelek Poznań buy-back point at ul. Górecka 6 we accept returnable packaging without any requirement to present a receipt. This applies to both glass bottles and plastic beer crates. This is a particularly convenient solution for people who have collected packaging over a longer period, received it from family or friends, or simply do not keep purchase documents.

We encourage you to check the price list for returnable beer bottles, which shows the current rates for glass bottles — because crates most often arrive together with them.

Wholesale sales of crates — an offer for the catering and retail trade

Are you a restaurateur, do you run a bar, a grocery shop or a beverage wholesaler? Then you know very well how quickly empty beer crates can accumulate. Storage space gets blocked, and returning them one by one to a shop is time-consuming and impractical.

Skup Butelek Poznań serves wholesale customers — we collect large batches of crates directly from businesses. We are registered in the BDO register, which means the entire process is fully compliant with the law, with the option of issuing documents for your accountancy department. Cash is paid on the spot upon settlement at the point, or — for large deliveries — on an agreed date.

Our point at ul. Górecka 6 has a large, convenient car park, which is important when arriving with a trailer, van or lorry. We welcome both individual customers and businesses from across the Greater Poland region.

The full offer and all categories of returnable packaging we buy back are available at: complete price list for returnable packaging buy-back in Poznań.

Kegs and stainless steel barrels — not just crates

If your catering establishment is running low on draught beer supplies, you are probably also dealing with metal kegs — stainless steel barrels used by breweries for beer distribution. These packaging items also have value and are eligible for buy-back.

Check the price list for buying kegs and stainless steel barrels — we value them fairly, and settlement follows the same rules as for crates and bottles.

What to do with the rest of the waste after renovation or a clear-out?

Collecting bottles and crates often goes hand in hand with a general clear-out of a basement, garage or storeroom. If in the process you come across old electrical cables, copper pipework or other non-ferrous metal scrap — you do not need to look for a separate buy-back point.

We recommend using the services of our partners from the EURO-SCRAP Group: the specialist copper cable and wiring harness buy-back service SkupKabli.poznan.pl handles the professional purchase of all types of cables, while the steel and non-ferrous metal scrap buy-back service EURO-SCRAP in Poznań covers a wide range of metal waste. This way, in a single trip you can get rid of everything and go home with cash in your pocket.

The deposit system and glass recycling — why it matters

Returning crates, bottles and kegs to a buy-back centre is not just a financial matter. It is a real environmental benefit — every returned crate goes back into circulation instead of ending up in landfill. The plastic used to manufacture beer crates is a valuable secondary raw material that, after appropriate processing, can be used again.

The deposit system, which in Poland is covering an ever-growing range of packaging types, is designed precisely to close this loop. By participating in it — whether as an individual customer or a business — you contribute to reducing the volume of waste and lowering the carbon footprint of the beverage industry. We handle the logistical side of this process: we accept, sort and pass on packaging for further recycling in accordance with applicable regulations.

How to find us and when are we open?

The bottle, crate and keg buy-back point is located at ul. Górecka 6 in Poznań. On site you will find a spacious yard with convenient access for both passenger cars and delivery vehicles. Cash is paid immediately after the packaging has been counted.

Current opening hours, contact details and the option to arrange collection of a larger batch of packaging can be found at: contact details for the bottle buy-back point in Poznań (Górecka 6).

You are welcome — whether you are bringing a single crate or an entire trailer load.