Take the time to do your research

Scotland’s c-store retailers will have a vital role to play and should check out DRS options now

SCOTLAND’S c-store retailers have plenty of time to properly research their deposit return scheme (DRS) options – now that the UK-wide go-live date has been pushed back to at least late 2025.

And when DRS does kick in, the convenience channel will have a big part to play.

The stores have higher average shopper visits per week than supermarkets and most customers agree that local shops are better for the environment – as more are visited on foot or are travelled to within a short distance.

Indeed, there are predictions that bottle returns will become part of the shopper mission to convenience stores, ranking among other valued services such as cash machines, parcel collections and bill payments. And one study has found that consumers would often return their containers to the location where they bought them.

Moreover, an impressive 87% of the recyclers would go on to spend their deposit refund in the store where they returned the containers.

The chance to drive up footfall and sales, arguably, make becoming a return point an attractive proposition for many convenience retailers.

Of course, some store owners may feel their premises is too small or be concerned about other health and safety issues.

But, if they do decide to take part in DRS, one of the first questions retailers may well ask themselves is whether they want to operate as a manual return point or opt for a reverse vending machine (RVM).

If shopkeepers are unsure whether an RVM is the right option for them or what volumes they can expect to see returned, a wise piece of advice would be to start with manual returns and make an informed decision later, after the scheme goes live.

There are numerous manufacturers and the machines they make vary in footprint size and container storage capacity.

But all the major providers offer a smaller RVM that has been designed with convenience stores in mind. While retailers can learn a lot from various manufacturer websites, some companies also have showrooms in Scotland –because it was originally meant to be leading the way in the UK on implementing DRS – and they welcome visits by store owners and managers.

The experts will help retailers select the best RVM for their specific circumstances and also talk through the machine purchase or leasing solutions that are offered.

Operating an RVM will bring a number of real advantages. For starters, it provides a better customer experience as it’s easier and more convenient to use an RVM rather than queueing at the shop counter to make manual returns.

The RVM also reduces the storage space needed as the containers returned are compacted and held inside the machine.

Further to that, the RVM can also be sited in a back room with an ATM-style return point.

The RVM also acts as the “gatekeeper” for which items are part of the scheme and takes away that burden from the store owner or staff.

It’s also more efficient as staff spend less time handling returns and the RVM is capable of carrying out automated communication with the scheme administrator.

The machine reports the returns data back to the scheme administrator, which then credits the retailer for all the deposits returned and pays the shopkeeper a handling fee as compensation for being a return point.

Having identified the containers inserted, the machine issues a voucher that customers can use to pay for shopping or get a cash refund at the till.

The major providers will also have dedicated technicians to service the RVMs or provide support in the event of any problems.

The Scottish, UK and Welsh Governments are currently taking a “four nations” approach to developing aligned schemes across the UK, with regular meetings between key officials.

Aligned schemes will have the benefits of single points of registration and standardised approaches on barcodes.

Retailers help the world recycle

Deposit return systems (DRS) for beverage container recycling help keep valuable resources in a continuous loop of use and reuse. At TOMRA, we call this process Clean Loop Recycling.

As a retailer, you’re at the heart of Clean Loop Recycling. You play a critical role at the point where consumers buy and return their containers.

Let’s put recycling to work for you

Choosing to partner with TOMRA means creating a great recycling experience for your customers, making a smart investment for your store, and choosing a solution that brings peace of mind and excellent support for your operations.

Solutions for small stores

M1

Accepts up to three types of non-refillable containers: plastic bottles, cans and glass bottles

360° instant recognition: shape, barcode, weight, full container, and metal detection

Process up to 17 containers per minute

Size (mm): 960 x 638 x 1670

Footprint of 0.62 sqm

Solutions for medium stores

T70 Dual

Accepts up to three types of non-refillable containers: plastic bottles, cans and glass bottles

360° instant recognition: shape, barcode, weight, full container, and metal detection

Process up to 45 containers per minute

Size (mm): 1293 x 1040 x 1800

Footprint of 1.4 sqm

S can now to get a free consultatio n with an expert