Dansk Retursystem:
Two billion containers.
One source of truth.
Dansk Retursystem replaced a creaking ERP setup with a modern Struct PIM platform, resulting in cleaner data, faster approvals, and better service.
The invisible backbone of recycling
Behind Denmark’s world-renowned deposit system, with a return rate of 92%, sits a product data infrastructure that most people never think about.
Dansk Retursystem (DRS) manages the registration, approval, and lifecycle of 114,000+ unique types of cans and bottles. Different materials – metal, glass, designs, lids, colours, shapes etc. All data needs to be meticulously described.
Producers and importers – from global brands like Carlsberg and Royal Unibrew to small niche importers – submit complete product data and artwork before their beverages hit the Danish market. And they expect fast approval.
With thousands of new packaging registrations processed every year, the legacy ERP-based setup was struggling to keep pace.
IMPACT was good at seeing solutions rather than limitations. When we had ideas about how things should work, they'd push back honestly, and that saved us from building something we'd regret. I really appreciate that honesty upfront.
From four weeks to a matter of days
“A packaging registration used to take four weeks when I started here eight years ago,” says Christian Paw Kallehave‑Rolland, Team lead for producers and importers at Dansk Retursystem.
“We received physical layouts and printed 400 registration confirmations every two weeks. Since then, we’ve been on a continuous journey of digitisation. This project is the biggest step yet.”
Following a competitive EU tender won by IMPACT, DRS implemented Struct PIM as a dedicated container data management system.
The transition moved product data out of a heavily customised Microsoft Navision ERP, which was nearing end-of-life, and into a purpose-built PIM platform capable of handling and automating the full registration workflow, from initial data submission to go-live activation in the deposit return machines.
200 business rules. Zero manual follow-ups.
The scope was anything but standard. IMPACT Commerce implemented nearly 200 business rules that automate validation logic, trigger notifications, and guide both DRS staff and external producers through the approval process.
Automated emails replace manual follow-ups. A product lifecycle view lets the team see exactly where every packaging registration stands.
Direct in-platform commenting means that when DRS rejects a layout (for instance, because the contrast isn’t sufficient for a barcode reader), the producer sees the feedback instantly through their portal, rather than waiting for an email.
Better data, faster time to market
The result is a better service experience for the producers and importers that DRS exists to support. Time-to-market for new products has shortened meaningfully, old file size limitations on artwork submissions have been lifted, and duplicate packaging entries are now caught automatically by a rule-based AI detection engine built specifically for the project.
“We’re here to help producers get their products to market,” says Christian Paw Kallehave‑Rolland. “The faster and smoother that process is, the better we do our job. With Struct PIM, we’re much better equipped to deliver on that.”
- 92% of all bottles and cans in Denmark are returned.
- 99,7% of materials are recycled again and again.
- To do this efficiently, every bottle and can must be correctly registered, counted, and refunded. This requires a complex approval and data process that ensures correct data behind every item, securing compliance and enabling circular business models at scale.
- The Danish system is regarded internationally as one of the most efficient in the world.
A partnership built on honest challenge
What made the collaboration work, according to Christian Paw Kallehave‑Rolland, was IMPACT Commerces willingness to challenge as much as to deliver.
“IMPACT was good at seeing solutions rather than limitations. When we had ideas about how things should work, they’d push back honestly, and that saved us from building something we’d regret. I really appreciate that honesty upfront.”
Built for what’s next – in Denmark and across Europe
The timing of this transformation is no coincidence. The European landscape for deposit and return systems is changing rapidly. New EU packaging regulations require member states to ensure separate collection of at least 90% of beverage containers from 2029, and according to a Dansk Retursystem analysis, that target is virtually impossible to reach without a dedicated deposit system.
For Dansk Retursystem, which has been co-founding the European Deposit and Return Scheme Association (EDRSA) to help new systems get up to speed, having a modern data infrastructure isn’t just an internal upgrade. It’s a prerequisite for playing a leading role in the green transition at a European level.
With 114,000+ packaging items already managed in Struct PIM – and the system architected to handle new product categories, richer data requirements, and AI-powered duplicate detection as volumes grow – Dansk Retursystem has built a data foundation as reliable as the recycling system it supports.
The system is future-proofed. Whatever comes next - new regulations, new product types, new data demands - we're now in a position to handle it.
Interested in structured data?
Reach out to Troels – he is ready to guide you!
