Farewell to Paperwork: These Supermarkets Plan an App for Deposit Returns

The deposit system, which came into effect at the beginning of January 2023, has proven effective in Austrian supermarkets. According to Simone Hoepke, spokesperson for the Rewe Group, which also includes brands like Billa, Bipa, and Penny, an impressive amount of 3.7 million bottles and cans have been returned so far. The amount is currently doubling every week, indicating increasing acceptance among customers.

Paperwork to be reduced in the future - digital deposit receipts as a goal

Despite the success of the deposit system, customers must receive a paper receipt when returning their deposit items, leading to a resurgence of paperwork. This contradicts efforts to reduce paper consumption. To address this issue, companies like Spar and Lidl are planning digital deposit receipts in the form of an app, as reported by ORF.

"Cumbersome": Vienna sausage stands demand solution for small businesses

A problem arises with the return of deposit bottles at Vienna sausage stands. Here, only the bottles consumed on-site can be returned. Rene Kachlir, operator of the sausage stand "Zum scharfen Rene," describes the current process as cumbersome: "We currently collect it in a bag and then bring it directly to a supermarket to redeem the receipt there."

A possible relief for smaller companies and catering businesses could result from the new government program. The coalition of ÖVP, SPÖ, and NEOS plans to exempt small-scale businesses from the obligation to take back deposit beverage packaging. This could simplify the return processes for such businesses and reduce administrative effort.

(Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.