This year's June was the hottest in the entire time of meteorological observations, and although July and August allowed the inhabitants of the country to rest, the frenzy to buy drinks hardly eased. Statistics show that 6,5 million were collected this summer. more disposable beverage packages than last year. In total, during the three months of the hot season, residents returned 194 million. packaging.
"Comparing the data of this year and last year, we see that residents return more packages every month this year. The only exception is August, which was hotter last year," says Gintaras Varnas, head of the non-profit organization Užstatus sistems administratorius (USAD).
In his opinion, the growing amount of returned packaging signals an improving economic situation. "The country's economy is growing - the Bank of Lithuania predicts that wages should grow by 8 percent this year, and private consumption expenditures by 4 percent. So, people are opening their wallets more boldly, and drinks are more often in their shopping carts," says the head of USAD.
Traditionally, residents return the most packaging in August, but this year the established order was disrupted by a record-breaking hot June. It was during the first month of summer that the most beverage packaging was returned - 65,7 million.
Resort records
We buy the most drinks in the summer, so return rates increase throughout Lithuania during the hot season, and the most noticeable changes are recorded in the country's resorts, where vacationers flock.
If the number of returned packages in the summer, compared to the spring, increased by a third across Lithuania – 32 percent, then in resorts (Palanga, Neringa, Birštonas and Druskininkai) this change reached as much as 112 percent.
In general, the dynamics of data collection of resorts depends more on changes in the tourist season than on the weather. If in the whole country the most packages were returned in June, then in the resorts - in August, during the peak of the holiday season.
Currently, 6,5 thousand different beverage packages participate in the deposit system, which are accepted at almost 3 thousand vending machines and manual collection points.
