Lidl launches ‘first of its kind’ bottles return scheme in Glasgow

Ahead of much-delayed launch of national deposit return scheme, Lidl today (8) debuted its own bottle return scheme in Glasgow.

Lidl has launched a trial bottle return scheme across 21 of its stores in Glasgow, hailing the recycling initiative as the first of its kind in the UK.

From today (8) until August, shoppers in the Scottish city can return PET plastic and aluminium drinks containers in Lidl stores in exchange for a 5p reward for each item, which they can redeem against their shop or donate to charity.

Lidl said the scheme would allow shoppers to benefit from infrastructure it had installed in stores in preparation for Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme, which was originally due to start last August but has been delayed amid a row between Scottish and UK ministers over the design of the scheme.

Clean and uncrushed bottles and cans purchased from any retailer will be accepted by the reverse vending machines, Lidl said.

“We’re on a mission to eliminate all unnecessary waste, and with over 95 per cent of our own-brand packaging now recyclable, reusable, or refillable we’ve been making great progress,” said Richard Bourns, chief commercial officer at Lidl GB. “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.”

Lidl said it expected the pilot to result in a minimum 10.5 tonnes of plastic and aluminium material being recycled each month, which it said would be used to create new products.

It said it would consider rolling out the scheme to more stores in due course.