Retailer Pick n Pay has, in partnership with reverse vending machine (RVM) provider Imagined Earth and beverage manufacturer Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa, introduced more reverse vending machines in the retailers’ stores to incentivise recycling.

The initiative is now also integrated with Pick n Pay’s Smart Shopper rewards programme.

Through this latest partnership with Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa, Pick n Pay has rolled out an additional 16 machines in Gauteng, bringing the total to 30 machines nationwide.

Pick n Pay hopes to introduce a further 15 machines in the coming year, with the aim to eventually have a reverse vending machine in every third store.

Each machine can store between 650 and 750 waste items and accepts recyclable items such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles, milk bottle containers and cans. The machines notify the waste management provider when they need to be emptied.

The collected waste is sorted off-site and sent to the correct recycling facilities.

The machines, which identify recyclable products by barcode and shape, reward users using the Imagined Earth mobile app.

Customers can bring their recyclable items, with barcodes, to Pick n Pay when doing their grocery shopping. 

Once shoppers scan the barcodes of their empty recyclable bottles or containers, the machines identify the type of recyclable product being presented using AI software. This service extends to any type of plastic, glass or tin product.

Thereafter shoppers enter their mobile numbers on the screen and follow the prompts and earn Smart Shopper points once they have linked their card in the Imagined Earth app.

During the launch of the initiative, at the Bedford Centre shopping centre, in Gauteng, on November 27, Pick n Pay sustainability manager Steffen Burrows expressed that, since the machines were first introduced in 2018, they have facilitated significant recycling efforts, with over 480 000 units recycled and over R40 000 paid out to customers as rewards.

HOW THE REWARDS WORK

Imagined Earth pays out the recyclable value of an item to the customer, and this is digitally paid in full each time a customer recycles an item in the RVM. This price will fluctuate depending on the value paid by waste management facilities.

Customers need to link their registered Smart Shopper card in the Imagined Earth app to claim their reward from the RVMs in Pick n Pay. The value from the recyclable item will then flow directly onto the customer’s Pick n Pay Smart Shopper card and can be used at till points. 

Smart Shoppers who have linked their registered Smart Shopper card in the Imagine Earth app can also select Smart Shopper as their reward when recycling items in other Imagined Earth RVMs not in a Pick n Pay store.

“A big new feature now is that our customers can earn Smart Shopper points through recycling. Whenever they recycle at our stores, they automatically get Smart Shopper points loaded to their Smart Shopper card.

“It is helping divert waste from landfills. It's rewarding customers for doing the right thing and it's also making it exciting for customers to recycle,” he added.

NEW STORES IN GAUTENG:

Pick n Pay Boksburg Hyper

Pick n Pay Greenstone Hyper

Pick n Pay Keywest

Pick n Pay The Falls

Pick n Pay Fourways Mall

Pick n Pay Vaal Mall

Pick n Pay Three Rivers

Pick n Pay Lenasia

Pick n Pay Sasolburg

Pick n Pay Rosebank

Pick n Pay Kensington

Pick n Pay Southgate

Pick n Pay The Glen

Pick n Pay Mall of Africa

Pick n Pay Carnival

Pick n Pay Bedford Centre

EXISTING STORES:

KwaZulu-Natal: Pick n Pay Umhlanga Crescent and Pick n Pay Hilton Avenues

Gauteng: Pick n Pay Benmore, Pick n Pay Fourways, Pick n Pay Dainfern Square, Pick n Pay Local Waterkloof and Pick n Pay On Nicol

Eastern Cape: Pick n Pay Summerstrand

Cape Town: Pick n Pay Gardens, Pick n Pay Canal Walk, Pick n Pay Durbanville, Pick n Pay Constantia, Pick n Pay Kenilworth, Pick n Pay V&A Waterfront.