Iceland trials in-store reverse vending machine
Iceland has announced that it has become the first UK supermarket to install a reverse vending machine in-store in response to the government’s plans to introduce a deposit return scheme in England for plastic bottles.
Reverse vending machines reward individuals for recycling by providing money or vouchers in return for empty containers.
The frozen food retailer’s machine accepts any Iceland plastic beverage bottle and repays customers with a 10p voucher to be used in store for each bottle recycled.
The machine will be trialled at Iceland’s Fulham store in London for six months as the retailer looks to understand consumer perceptions and appetite for the technology.
The move follows Iceland’s pledge made in January in which it said it is aiming to eliminate plastic packaging from all of its own label products by the end of 2023.
Iceland managing director Richard Walker said: “We’re the first supermarket to take decisive action to bring the reverse vending machine into stores, following the announcement of the government’s support for a deposit return scheme in England. We’re doing it properly, through consultation with suppliers and by gaining understanding of how customers will act in response to the machine.”
Iceland’s action comes with support from the government with Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, saying: “I applaud Iceland for leading the way with their trial scheme. It is absolutely vital we act now to curb the millions of plastic bottles a day that go unrecycled. Support from businesses will be a vital part of ensuring we leave our environment in a better state than we found it.”
