Ocado boosted by results from digital deposit return scheme trial

A trial led by recycling firm Polytag and tech app Bower, placed QR codes on two- and four-pint bottles. This enabled customers to claim monetary rewards for recycling bottles.

The code is scanned via the app and the bottle is disposed of in the customers registered at-home recycling bin, and they then are given a reward. Up to £4000 of rewards were obtained in the 9 week trial.

Alice Rackley, CEO, Polytag, said: “In a world-first initiative with Ocado Retail, we’ve seen the reality of a nationwide DDRS come to realisation. Consumers have been asking for a scalable, and viable solution to the recycling crisis that keeps convenience and efficiency in mind.

Laura Fernandez, senior packaging and sustainability manager at Ocado Retail, said: “We’re delighted that over 20,000 Ocado milk bottles were scanned by more than 3,000 customers as part of our digital deposit return scheme trial!”

This has helped to underline the strong desire among consumers to receive rewards for their recycling efforts. Suwar Mert, CEO and founder, Bower, stated that “leveraging existing recycling infrastructure and mobile phones provides a readily deployable solution to increasing recycling rates.”