SuperValu and Centra have announced the return of over 125 million eligible drink containers since the launch of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) on 1 February.
The achievement represents the largest number of returns in the country and highlights a significant shift in the nation’s recycling habits.
It also reflects the retailers’ commitment to sustainability, offering an extensive network of reverse vending machines (RVMs) across Ireland, promoting waste reduction and a circular economy.
Increasing Engagement
Public engagement for the scheme has surged in recent months, with more than 91 million containers returned since June alone, resulting in a return rate of over 95% for that period.
This rate indicates the proportion of containers returned through RVMs in SuperValu and Centra stores nationwide, relative to total container sales.
Stores in Dublin, Cork, Meath, Galway and Kildare have seen the highest volume of returns within the SuperValu and Centra store network.
The retailers invested €28 million in RVMs across their store networks ahead of the scheme, as part of their commitment to building more sustainable communities.
SuperValu and Centra have installed 686 RVMs in 549 stores across all 26 counties in the Republic of Ireland.
SuperValu and Centra continue to see growing interaction with their RVMs as the year progresses, with a number of stores ordering larger and/or additional machines to meet demand.
According to both retailers, consumers are mostly returning containers at the weekend, with the average amount of containers returned per visit reaching 24.
‘Increasingly Sustainability Focused’
Speaking about the scheme, the managing director of SuperValu and Centra, Luke Hanlon, said, “Our data indicates that since June, over 95% of eligible cans and bottles we sell have been returned through our RVM machines nationwide.
“This is a significant increase in the average nationwide recycle rate for these items, which was estimated at 60%-70% before the scheme’s introduction.
“I would also like to thank our retailers for the effort and investment that has gone into rolling out the scheme.
“We and our retailers understand the important role we play in caring for the environment and ensuring that we make the implementation of the DRS as easy and convenient as possible for our customers.
“Customers are increasingly sustainability focused, and it’s essential that, as community retailers, SuperValu and Centra are able to empower more eco-friendly recycling habits.
“This demonstrates the positive benefits of our ‘Local Action, Global Impact’ initiative, showing that small, community-based efforts can contribute to the broader fight against environmental challenges.”
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