In the wake of the Scottish Government delaying the introduction of an official deposit return scheme (DRS) last year, Lidl has today launched its own bottle return initiative.
Shoppers in Glasgow can receive unlimited cash rewards in return for empty PET plastic and aluminium drinks containers via in-store reverse vending machines. There is a 5p reward for each eligible item returned, which can either be redeemed against shopping or donated to Lidl’s charity partner, The STV Children’s Appeal.
The scheme will be available across all of Lidl’s 21 stores in the city, with the potential for further rollout after a six-month trial.
There is no cap on the number of items that can be returned and the discounter will accept qualifying bottles and cans purchased from any retailer.
The introduction of a DRS in Scotland was due to go live date in August 2023, but a dispute between the Scottish and UK governments means that any future scheme is now likely to be launched on a national basis.
Lidl stated that its own scheme would ensure that shoppers could benefit from the infrastructure that it had already put in place. Unlike DRS, the discounter’s bottle return scheme does not place a deposit on the retail price of the original product.
It’s anticipated that the pilot will result in a minimum of 10.5 tonnes of plastic and aluminium material being recycled each month, with the material used to create new plastic and aluminium products.
Richard Bourns, Chief Commercial Officer at Lidl GB, commented: “We’re on a mission to eliminate all unnecessary waste, and with over 95% of our own-brand packaging now recyclable, reusable, or refillable we’ve been making great progress. We know that Lidl shoppers share this passion, and we hope that utilising this infrastructure, which might otherwise have been left dormant, will help to make recycling their cans and bottles even more convenient for them. With our extra incentive thrown in, and no cap on the number of items that can be recycled, it’s a win-win for all.”
