Mayo recyclers help Lidl hit 100 million DRS returns

Mayo has been named as one of the top counties for DRS recycling as Lidl Ireland becomes the first retailer to hit 100 million DRS returns nationwide. 

Since the official launch of the Irish government’s DRS scheme on 1 February 2024, Lidl Ireland has processed over two million eligible bottles and cans across its five Mayo stores and returned more than €410,000 in deposits to Mayo customers.

Topping the leaderboard for DRS recycling is Lidl’s Castlebar store, which has processed more than 720,000 units, whilst Westport and Ballina stores complete the top three, with more than 500,000 units returned in each store to date.

With two Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) available at every Lidl store in Ireland, the retailer has invested more than €50 million to date in installing and recently upgrading its machines to meet high processing demand.

Commenting on the announcement, Robert Ryan, CEO at Lidl Ireland, said they are ‘delighted’ to lead the retail sector in contributing to Ireland’s sustainability targets. 

“As the first retailer to launch a DRS trial back in 2021 at our stores in Glenageary in Dublin and Claremorris in Mayo, we have prioritised providing a customer-centric experience so that everyone can come to a Lidl store and be confident in using the reverse vending machines to claim back their deposits in an accessible, quick, and easy way,” he continued.

Mr Ryan explained how their investment in trialling the returns and state-of-the-art machines in our stores has been ‘well worth it, and it’s clear that customers are voting with their feet’. 

The retailer aimed to process ‘around three point six million units per week across 180 stores’, but this has been surpassed by up to 25 percent in some weeks. 

He added: “We’re certainly punching above our weight in terms of processing volumes, and we have recently invested further in upgrading our reverse vending machines in every store to meet high customer demand. I’m delighted that the Irish public is choosing to commit to a sustainable future with Lidl.”

According to latest statistics, customers are recycling on average around 24 bottles and cans per visit at Lidl stores and redeeming an average of €4.20 in deposit payouts each time.

“With high redemption rates across all our stores around the country, it’s clear to see that customers are using the DRS refunds to save on their next shopping bill, and many are even using it to load up their Lidl Christmas Savings Card to help prepare for the festive season ahead,” he commented.

Lidl Ireland has rolled out a number of ‘Customer First’ initiatives to provide customers with a premier shopping experience and access to convenient services for the benefit of the local community. This includes parcel collection pods and pay as you go car and van rental, as well as its simple-to-use DRS reverse vending machines, which enable everyone in the community to participate in the scheme and easily reclaim deposits paid on DRS cans and bottles.

“In these challenging economic times, it’s more important than ever that customers are supported to fully embrace the scheme and ensure they keep deposit money spent within the household budget”, concluded Mr Ryan.