Pick n Pay is amplifying its sustainability efforts by expanding the deployment of Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) across South Africa and integrating its popular Smart Shopper program into this initiative.

The Cape Town-based retailer now offers customers the opportunity to earn Smart Shopper points by recycling eligible items. These points can be redeemed for groceries, airtime, and various other essentials.

Read: Pick n Pay pilots new ‘reverse vending machines’ to encourage recycling

The retailer has introduced 16 new RVMs in its Gauteng locations, bringing the national total to 30 machines. These machines can accommodate between 650 and 750 recyclable items and accept materials like PET plastic bottles, milk containers, and cans.

Since the initiative’s launch in 2018, over 480,000 items, amounting to more than 34,000 kilograms, have been diverted from landfills.

“This initiative fosters a recycling culture by illustrating that waste has value. The RVMs encourage customers to rethink their waste management practices and choose recycling over disposal,” stated Steffen Burrows, Pick n Pay’s sustainability manager.

“Our aim is to educate consumers about the inherent value of products even after usage.”

Read: Pick n Pay’s new pilot project takes aim at food waste

According to Pick n Pay, customers receive the full recyclable value for each item they deposit, equivalent to what a recycler would gain at a waste management facility. This typically ranges up to 10 cents per item, depending on the material’s type and weight.

Customers can link their Smart Shopper cards via the Imagined Earth app, Pick n Pay’s partner in the RVM design and management. Smart

Shopper points can subsequently be redeemed during regular purchases at checkout.

“Although the reward per item might seem small, it adds up quickly,” Burrows noted.

So far, rewards totaling R40,000 have been distributed to customers. The company emphasized that strong customer engagement is crucial for the expansion, highlighting a 50% increase in recycled item volume over the last six months.

One RVM situated in a Pick n Pay store in Pretoria processes between 8,000 and 15,000 items monthly.

Promoting sustainability

Pick n Pay revealed that the RVM network’s growth was facilitated through partnerships with Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) and Polyco.

Justin Needham, managing director of Imagined Earth, remarked that these machines represent a significant step toward achieving sustainability.

“They enhance awareness, inspire action, and support a shift in mindset toward sustainability. As we build momentum for a South African Deposit Return System, initiatives like this are vital for making that vision a reality. Exciting times lie ahead for South Africa’s recycling ecosystem,” said Needham.

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