Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is nearly a year old, and while consumers have been adjusting to the demands of the new system, one local retailer wasted no time in creating a community initiative from the programme.
“We noticed there were a lot of bottles being discarded when the DRS came in,” John Reilly, the manager of Sheahan’s Centra Killarney tells me. “Two of our team came in and said, ‘Look, we should set up a bin to collect them and use the money for something in the store.’”
John’s colleagues Kevin and Patricia Ennis – who also happen to be husband and wife – suggested the initiative, which the team then discussed in a staff meeting.
Kevin had even begun collecting bottles himself with an idea in mind.
“He came back to us and suggested that he’d like to collect them for charity,” John says. “And he said what he really wanted was a defibrillator for the store.”
John tells me that there was no defibrillator nearby, and he recalls an incident in another store where he and his colleagues found themselves without a device nearby during an emergency.
So they presented the idea to staff in a meeting, and they all agreed it was “fantastic.” They soon set to work engaging shoppers.
“It was important for us to do something that gives back to the community,” John says.
Deposit Return Scheme
Since 1 February last year, shoppers have had a charge applied to most drinks containers which they can claim back once they return their bottle or can to a designated return point.
Vouchers issued at the return point can be used for in-store purchases or exchanged for cash.
While the scheme has gained momentum – with operators of the DRS, Re-turn, reporting 900 million returns to date in December – it took time for customers to adapt.
Re-turn soon saw the charitable potential of the initiative and set up Return for Children in the summer.
Return for Children – operating at events, festivals and now Cork Airport – allows attendees to donate their bottles, and thus their deposits, to children’s charities.
However, John’s team in Killarney immediately noticed the charitable opportunity the scheme presented and set up the bottle-collecting initiative in March – just one month into the DRS.
John notes that the donations are optional and the store still has return points where customers can exchange bottles for money or vouchers, but much of the community has embraced the scheme.
“I collect bottles at home myself now,” John says. “But if I’m ever returning them in our store, I put them in our charity bin.”
‘It Had To Be Charitable’
When the team set up the special bins, there was no precedent for the charitable direction, so why not use the money gathered to upgrade the store in some way?
John says that in the original meeting, it was immediately clear that the team wanted the initiative to go beyond just them.
“It had to be charitable,” he says. “At this moment in time, we felt it was important to offer something directly back to the community.”
When relaying the meeting, John highlights the importance of open communication and allowing everyone the chance to make an impact.
This meant the floor was open to Kevin’s suggestion, and other staff were able to offer feedback, which was overwhelmingly positive.
He highlights that this would not have been possible without open communication within the team.
What’s Next?
The staff at Sheahan’s Centra have already undergone online training on how to use the device, and have organised in-person training taking place soon.
With community at the centre of this initiative, the team at Sheahan’s Centra Killarney intend to continue supporting the local area.
They are still collecting containers in the charity bin, with their sights now set on installing a defibrillator at their sister store in Glenbeigh.
“There are many ways to give back,” John says, noting that this would not have been possible if he had not called a meeting to discuss discarded containers, or indeed if Kevin and Patricia had not felt they could speak up.
“It shows you the power of what can happen when you listen to your staff,” he says.
When John posted about the defibrillator online, he wrote, “While we hope it’s never needed, in the event of an emergency, it could make a difference and save a life.”
Indeed, it could make a difference and help the community one day – but as for the team at Sheahan’s Centra Killarney? They already have.
Read More: Re-Turn Reports 900m Containers Returned Since Launch Of DRS
