Tomra Systems Shares Plummet as France Scraps Deposit Scheme

The stock hit 98.90 Norwegian kroner in early afternoon trading, marking the sharpest decline among constituents of the Stoxx 600 index. Ministers Mathieu Lefevre and Francoise Gatel confirmed the reversal in a joint statement, opting instead to grant individual French regions the autonomy to design their own waste reduction strategies. This policy shift effectively halts the nationwide rollout of the infrastructure Tomra Systems relies upon to expand its market share.

President Macron had previously framed the mandatory deposit system as a cornerstone of the country's environmental agenda. For Tomra, the move represented a significant opportunity to install its automated collection machines across French retail networks. France now faces mounting pressure to align with strict European Union mandates, which require member states to ensure 90% of plastic bottles are recycled by 2029. Without a unified national framework, meeting these aggressive targets remains a complex hurdle for regional authorities.