Recycling Incentives: Pick n Pay Expands Network of Reverse Vending Machines

Pick n Pay is expanding its sustainability efforts by increasing the availability of Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) across South Africa while integrating its popular Smart Shopper program into this initiative.

The Cape Town-based retailer now offers customers the opportunity to earn Smart Shopper points by recycling acceptable products. These points can be redeemed for groceries, airtime, and a variety of essential items.

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Read: Pick n Pay pilots new ‘reverse vending machines’ to encourage recycling

The company has installed 16 additional RVMs in its Gauteng locations, bringing the total number of machines nationwide to 30. These machines can accommodate between 650 and 750 recyclable items and accept materials like PET plastic bottles, milk bottles, and cans.

Since the initiative’s inception in 2018, over 480,000 items, amounting to more than 34,000 kilograms, have been diverted from landfills.

“This initiative fosters a recycling culture by illustrating that waste has intrinsic value. The RVMs encourage customers to rethink their waste disposal habits and choose recycling over throwing things away,” stated Steffen Burrows, Pick n Pay’s sustainability manager.

“Our objective is to inform consumers about the value that remains in an item even after it has served its initial purpose.”

Read: Pick n Pay’s new pilot project takes aim at food waste

According to Pick n Pay, customers receive the full recyclable value for each item deposited, comparable to what recyclers earn from waste management facilities. Typically, this equates to up to 10 cents per item, contingent on the type and weight of the recyclable material.

Customers can connect their Smart Shopper cards via the Imagined Earth app, which partners with Pick n Pay in the RVMs’ design and management.

Smart Shopper points can subsequently be redeemed at checkout for regular purchases.

“While the reward per item may seem modest, it adds up quickly,” Burrows noted.

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To date, rewards valued at R40,000 have been awarded to customers. The organization emphasized that strong customer engagement is crucial for the initiative’s growth, highlighting a 50% increase in the volume of recycled items over the last six months.

One RVM located in a Pick n Pay store in Pretoria processes between 8,000 and 15,000 items monthly.

Advancing sustainability

Pick n Pay noted that the expansion of the RVM network was facilitated through collaborations with Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) and Polyco.

Justin Needham, managing director of Imagined Earth, remarked that these machines represent a significant step towards sustainability.

“They raise awareness, inspire action, and promote a shift towards sustainable practices. As we gain traction for a South African Deposit Return System, initiatives like this propel us closer to that vision. Exciting changes are ahead for South Africa’s recycling landscape,” Needham added.

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