20,000 cash rewards redeemed by Ocado Retail customers in first England and Wales DDRS trial

Thousands of cash rewards have been redeemed by UK consumers as part of the first nationwide digital deposit return scheme (DDRS) trial led by Polytag, Bower, and Ocado Retail.

Since 14th July, Ocado Retail customers have been able to claim monetary rewards for recycling any of its own brand two and four-pint milk bottles using Polytag’s QR codes, redeemable via recycling app Bower.

The trial saw more than 20,000 Ocado Retail milk bottles scanned by over 3,000 consumers using their smartphones before being deposited into home kerbside recycling.

The QR code integrated onto the milk bottles’ labelling is scanned via the aforementioned app, the bottle disposed of in a person’s registered at home recycling bin, and the reward withdrawn into their bank account.

Up to £4,000 worth of rewards were obtained during the nine week long trial.

The aim here was to meet customers' appetite for retailers to offer recycling initiatives and improve national recycling rates ahead of the government’s DRS scheme set to come into place in 2025.

The DRS model as it stands has seen consumers and industries debate the financial and logistical implications that reverse vending machines (RVMs) may present.

Polytag is offering customers a digital option with its GS1 approved QR codes that are integrated onto packaging labels at printing point.

Invisible UV tags are also applied to the labels enabling tracking and tracing back to dedicated recycling centres and offering brands and retailers insights into the whereabouts of their products and packaging.

Customer surveys released by Ocado Retail and Bower at the end of the trial revealed 93% of the pilot users feel ‘positively’ towards the idea of a DDRS in the UK and 71% of the former’s customers would be happy to use a QR code to claim a deposit back, while 58% of respondents showed interest in using a RVM.

Alice Rackley, CEO, Polytag, says: “In a world first initiative with Ocado Retail, we’ve seen the reality of a nationwide DDRS come to realisation.”

“Through cutting-edge technology and end-to-end packaging solutions, this project has delivered on what consumers have been asking for. A nationwide, scalable, and viable solution to the recycling crisis that keeps convenience and efficiency in mind.

“Today’s outcome is the result of years of public consultation, technological innovation, and stringent testing working to feed the appetite of consumers for retailers to offer real incentives for recycling.”

“We’re proud to have made this significant mark on the journey to a circular economy and will continue to work closely with our partner brands and retailers to ensure a solution is found that is accessible to all.”

Laura Fernandez, Senior Packaging and Sustainability Manager at Ocado Retail, comments: “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.”

“To be able to launch a workable DDRS that actually pays customers back for recycling is a game-changing move for recycling and the circular economy in the UK."

Suwar Mert, CEO and Founder, Bower, adds: This pilot underscores the strong desire among consumers to receive rewards for their recycling efforts. The response from consumers has been overwhelmingly positive, with widespread enthusiasm for the concept, rapid adoption of the technology, and users recycling an average of 7.5 bottles each.”

“This demonstrates that leveraging existing kerbside recycling infrastructure and people's accessibility to mobile phones provides a scalable and readily deployable solution to significantly increase recycling rates”.