More than a million items returned to date as ALDI DRS picks up steam in Mayo
June was the most successful month to date for the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) at ALDI, as shoppers across Ireland collectively returned 16.7 million items.
In Mayo, shoppers returned more than 400,000 items in June, bringing the total number of items returned locally to more than one million since the launch of the scheme. This equates to a total of €185,000 in vouchers being issued in Mayo to date.
The top three ALDI stores in Mayo in terms of the number of returns are Castlebar, Claremorris and Ballyhaunis.
The average ALDI store in Mayo has processed more than 180,000 items since February, worth almost €31,000 in returned deposits. This is below the national average across all of ALDI’s 161 stores in Ireland, which have handled an average of 264,000 items each since the launch of the scheme, worth almost €45,000 in returned deposits.
ALDI DRS units have seen a steady increase in the numbers of items returned since February as customers become acquainted with the scheme. Under the scheme, empty bottles and cans containers marked with the Re-turn logo can be returned to the reverse vending machine at all participating retailers, regardless of where the item was originally purchased. Customers receive a voucher for their returned items, which can be put against their shopping bill or returned in cash.
ALDI has also seen a growing trend where customers are adding the value of their DRS vouchers to their ALDI Christmas Savings Card when doing their weekly shop, allowing them to start saving in advance of the festive season.
The scheme aims to reduce the amount of litter across Irish towns, villages and countryside by incentivising consumers to recycle their empty items.
Prior to the introduction of the DRS, Ireland had one of the lowest rates of recycling of PET and aluminium drinks bottles and cans, with approximately only 60% of all drinks containers being recycled.
Similar schemes across Europe have been successful in increasing this number in line with the EU target of 77% of all drinks containers to be recycled by 2025.
Jason Carolan, plastics and packaging manager at ALDI Ireland, commented: “As we can see from the figures today, the DRS scheme has been very popular with ALDI shoppers, and since going live in February of this year, the number of items being returned on a monthly basis has steadily increased.
“Customers have redeemed more than €7 million in cash and vouchers at ALDI’s 161 stores, ensuring that more than 42 million items have been returned for recycling through the scheme. We’re proud to play our part in supporting and operating this scheme, which is a key part of helping to ensure more sustainable and circular economic activity.
“We’re sure that it will continue to grow from strength to strength, and we’re excited to see the innovative ways that sports clubs and charitable organisations look to harness its potential.
“As always, if you have any issues operating the units we encourage you to speak to one of our store colleagues, who will be happy to assist you.”
Peter Whelan, managing director at TOMRA Collection Ireland, supplier of ALDI’s DRS machines, added: “Having partnered with ALDI to supply their stores with our DRS reverse vending units, we are delighted to see its success. With our TOMRA reverse vending machines, consumers can be guaranteed of the utmost quality and reliability. The volume of bottles and cans being processed through the machines located across ALDI stores show how customers are really embracing the Irish scheme.”