Ocado Retail's customers will soon be able to scan a QR code on Ocado Own-Brand two and four-pint plastic milk bottles to get a reward for disposing of their packaging in the recycling bin
Polytag, Bower and Ocado Retail partner for milk bottles recycling scheme. (Credit: Mae Mu on Unsplash)
British recycling technology firm Polytag and Swedish recycling app Bower have partnered with online supermarket Ocado Retail to provide financial rewards to consumers for recycling milk bottles.
Under the recycling initiative, consumers in the UK will be rewarded 20p (around €0.23) for recycling milk bottles.
According to Polytag, Ocado Retail’s customers will soon be able to scan a QR code on Ocado Own-Brand two and four-pint plastic milk bottles. This will enable them to get a reward for disposing of their packaging in the recycling bin.
Under the scheme, more than eight million milk bottles sold by Ocado will have Polytag’s one-of-a-kind QR codes on their labels.
Customers who scan the first 20,000 codes will receive 20p in their digital wallet through the Bower app, which they may withdraw to their bank account, for free, the recycling technology firm said.
Additionally, the Bower app will offer more benefits to all barcodes scanned later, such as money, coupons, and charitable donations.
Customers can redeem their rewards by installing the app, creating an account, connecting their usual recycling bins, and linking their bank accounts.
Furthermore, they can withdraw the money to their bank account after using the app to scan the milk bottle’s QR code and deposit the packaging in their designated recycling bin.
Polytag CEO Alice Rackley said: “Our unique-every-time QR code technology has the potential to transform recycling in Europe; by enabling brands and legislators to offer appealing financial rewards that can be easily received and by demonstrating the viability of a DDRS, for which there is growing support across Europe.”
This effort will show the practicality and convenience of a Digital Deposit Return Scheme (DDRS) in the UK.
It is designed to mimic the deposit people will be able to redeem when a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is implemented in 2025, including England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Bower CEO and founder Suwar Mert said: “For the first time, we now have a solution and possibility to test a digital deposit return scheme.
“The collaboration will transform recycling habits by rewarding recycling behaviour in the UK but holds the potential for further international expansion.”