The Danish return system for beverage packaging is regulated by legislative order under the Environmental Protection Act.

The responsible authority is the Ministry of Environment and Food, which, based on environmental assessments, designates by legislative order the beverages and packaging on which producers must place the special mark, who must accept the empty bottles and cans returned by consumers, and how the management of the deposit and return system should be carried out. Since 2002, Dansk Retursystem has had the exclusive right to operate the return system.

The return system covers both single-use recyclable packaging and refillable packaging that can be washed and refilled. Among others, beverages that must be recorded in Denmark's return system include:

• Beer
  Carbonated drinks (such as soft drinks with an alcohol content of 0-0.5%)
• Other fermented beverage products (such as cider with an alcohol content of less than 10%)
• Mixed products where alcoholic beverages, wine, or other fermented products are mixed with other drinks, such as soft drinks, cider, or juices (such as alcoholic soft drinks with an alcohol content above 0.5% but not exceeding 10%)

Businesses that import or produce beverages that fall under Denmark's return system must register the company and the beverages with Dansk Retursystem.

To register products with Dansk Retursystem, a GS1 GTIN code is required.

The international organization GS1 is the only globally recognized body for issuing GTIN codes.