REWE Group Management Board member Marcel Haraszti: ‘The new one-way deposit system turns old cans and bottles into new drinks packaging. This protects the climate, saves valuable resources and is an important step towards achieving Austria's recycling targets. As REWE Group, we are proud to be part of the solution together with our customers.’
REWE Group trading companies are prepared
At larger locations with traditionally high sales figures for drinks packaging, there will be a simple return option at the vending machine: At BILLA, more than half of the 1,250 BILLA and BILLA PLUS stores have already been converted. The changeover is taking place without customers noticing when they shop: This is because the front appliances remain visually the same, while any additional appliances required in the background are installed at all locations during ongoing operations. Completely new vending machines were purchased for PENNY - a good half of the shops already have them in operation, and all others will follow successively until the start of the New Year. BIPA and ADEG are also preparing for the new deposit system: From 1 January 2025, customers at BIPA locations and around half of ADEG stores will be able to easily return their single-use deposit bottles and cans manually.
Thanks to in-house logistics, the collection of containers from all locations will not cause any additional empty journeys, as the containers will be collected directly when goods are delivered in a CO2-friendly manner. Intensive training sessions will soon be held throughout Austria to prepare employees for the changeover. ‘I would like to thank them now on behalf of REWE Group for their commitment on site,’ says Haraszti.
REWE Group has invested a high double-digit million euro sum in the conversion of existing vending machines and the purchase of new ones, in addition to transport and storage costs.
The most important things for customers at a glance:
From 1 January 2025, all bottles and cans with a deposit logo will be refunded 25 cents.
One-way deposit packaging can be easily recognised by the deposit logo.
All closed drinks in plastic bottles and metal cans with a capacity of 0.1 to 3 litres will bear the deposit logo in future.
Dairy products and products with a milk content of more than 51 per cent as well as syrups are excluded from the new one-way deposit system.
When returning the containers, please note that they must not be crushed. The label must be intact and the barcode on the packaging must be clearly legible. The bottle cap does not have to be on the bottle for the deposit to be redeemed.
The deposit on single-use plastic and metal packaging is an important contribution to achieving the target of a collection rate of 90 per cent by 2027.
