Local inspection

Deposit excitement! Border crossers make themselves basket money

Karin Burgstaller from the beverage market in Simbach is threatened by a shortage of empties, while many people in Austria are now returning their old crates of beer.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Daniel Scharinger)

After fuel tourism, now deposit tourism: The "Krone" went in search of clues in the border region with Germany. What is now to be feared, why the regulars' table topic is causing such a stir and who the winners of this "scam" are. 

It is a topic that is causing a stir. In Austria and in Germany. And has had a name for a few days now: Deposit tourism. We are standing in front of a wholesale drinks market in Simbach (Germany) and see a man, whose car has a Braunau license plate, loading crates of beer. When asked if he is a "deposit bottle tourist", he says humorlessly: "I don't need that."