volta strengthens sustainability at Festival da Comida Continente ‘26 and MEO Marés 2026

volta, the brand behind Portugal’s Deposit Return System (DRS), is the Sustainability Partner of Festival da Comida Continente ‘26, taking place this weekend, 11 and 12 July, at Parque da Cidade in Porto, as well as MEO Marés 2026, held from 17 to 19 July at Praia do Aterro in Matosinhos. Its presence at both festivals will include awareness campaigns encouraging festivalgoers to return eligible beverage packaging and either recover or donate the corresponding deposit value.

Beverages sold in volta packaging at both festivals will carry a deposit of €0.10 per container, fully refundable when the packaging is returned in the required condition. At Festival da Comida Continente ‘26, eligible packaging will include plastic bottles and cans with a capacity of up to 3 litres, while at MEO Marés, only plastic bottles with a capacity of up to 3 litres will be accepted. In both cases, containers must be returned empty, complete, uncrushed, and with the volta symbol and barcode clearly legible.

At both festivals, packaging can be returned at automated volta Collection Points or volta Solidarity Collection Points distributed throughout the festival grounds. At automated volta Collection Points, deposits will be refunded through the App volta€, the latest digital solution that allows users to recover the deposit value of returned containers and subsequently transfer the accumulated amount to their linked bank account. Alternatively, festivalgoers can donate their deposits to the Portuguese Firefighters League, Cáritas Portuguesa, the Portuguese League for Nature Protection or the Portuguese League for Animal Rights.

Those who choose to return packaging at volta Solidarity Collection Points will donate the corresponding deposit value to the Portuguese Firefighters League.

“volta‘s presence at Festival da Comida Continente ‘26 and MEO Marés 2026 is strategically important for the Deposit Return System and represents another step towards bringing the system closer to citizens. Since its implementation, we have seen consistent growth in the number of containers returned, demonstrating that citizens are gradually incorporating this new action into their routines. Festivals therefore provide an excellent opportunity to reach new audiences and show that returning packaging bearing the volta symbol is simple. By installing volta Collection Points at festival venues and offering the possibility of recovering deposits through the App volta€ or donating them to a charitable organisation, we aim to make the experience even more convenient and reinforce the message that every container returned contributes to a more circular economy,” says Lia Oliveira, Marketing and Communications Director at volta.

volta‘s presence at these festivals reinforces the importance of encouraging public participation in different everyday situations, including major events where the consumption of beverages in single-use packaging is particularly high. By returning packaging at volta Collection Points, festivalgoers contribute to more efficient collection and high-quality recycling, allowing a bottle to become a bottle again and a can to become a can again.

How can festivalgoers return volta packaging at these festivals?

At the festival venues, attendees should locate the automated volta Collection Points, return eligible packaging and use the App volta€ to recover their deposits. Containers must be empty, uncrushed, with their caps attached, and with the volta symbol and barcode clearly legible. At these locations, festivalgoers can also choose to donate their deposits to the Portuguese Firefighters League, Cáritas Portuguesa, the Portuguese League for Nature Protection or the Portuguese League for Animal Rights.

Packaging can also be returned at volta Solidarity Collection Points, with the corresponding deposit value donated to the Portuguese Firefighters League.

How does the App volta€ work?

To receive a deposit refund through the App volta€, festivalgoers should:

1. Download the app, available for iOS and Android.
2. Create an account and link their IBAN.
3. Go to one of the automated volta Collection Points available at the festival venue.
4. Return eligible volta packaging, ensuring containers are empty, uncrushed, with their caps attached, and with the volta symbol and barcode clearly legible.
5. Display the QR code on the machine.
6. Accumulate the deposit value corresponding to the returned packaging in the app.
7. Transfer the accumulated balance to the linked bank account, where the funds will become available within up to 5 business days.

The App volta€ can be used at Festival da Comida Continente ‘26, MEO Marés 2026 and similar events where automated volta Collection Points are equipped with this functionality, as well as at volta Kiosks, which are being progressively installed across Portugal. At all other volta Collection Points throughout the collection network, the existing refund methods will remain available.