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Shop trial shatters deposit return scheme glass issues

Mo Razzaq, owner of Family Shopper Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, has reported “no issues” with his newly installed reverse vending machine, which also accepts glass bottles.

glass reverse vending machine

The Scottish retailer’s deposit return scheme machine was provided by manufacturer RVM Systems as part of a three-month trial and is the first in an independent convenience store to accept glass.

This followed the inclusion of glass in Scotland’s plans to force retailers in the country to accept bottle returns in May. 

Retailers, including Razzaq, responded with concerns about safety, space and noise from the inclusion of the material. Razzaq explained: “We launched the trial two weeks ago and we’ve not experienced any issues. We’ve had a steady flow of customers bringing in glass bottles. The machine stores the glass in a wheelie bin, which is lifted and emptied.”

However, the machine’s large size is likely to be an issue for others, Razzaq said:  “We are lucky that we could put the machine in a bay after getting rid of a freezer we didn’t need, but there’s no getting around the issue of size for a lot of retailers. 

“For small retailers, it’s going to be a task to find the space, but what can we do?”

Read more: Retailers respond to all-in deposit return scheme plans

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