TOMRA R1’s drop and go functionality debuts at Dutch retailer Jumbo Eerbeek

Pour your containers and walk away: TOMRA R1’s drop and go functionality gets you shopping quicker! 

Customers of Jumbo Eerbeek supermarket in the Netherlands are the first to experience the TOMRA R1 reverse vending machine’s digital drop and go function. This allows them to literally pour out their deposit containers and walk away, with the deposit refund paid out directly and quickly via the Dutch online payment app, Tikkie.

So how does it work? All they have to do is scan the QR code of Tikkie on the reverse vending machine's screen and the hatch opens automatically. Then people can empty their bag of beverage containers, close the hatch again, and leave the machine. The machine immediately starts counting and sorting the containers, after which the deposit is paid out digitally via Tikkie within seconds. 

The drop and go function is convenient, fast, and an ideal solution for people on the go, as it allows them to save time by not having to wait for the machine to finish. In addition, digital payout solutions help those people who occasionally forget or lose their deposit receipts. Customers can also opt for reimbursement in Jumbo Eerbeek via a paper deposit receipt or donate their deposit directly to charity. 

The right facilities are important to encourage recycling

TOMRA R1 offers a more hygienic, efficient, and fast recycling experience when returning deposit containers. Jumbo Eerbeek is the first store in the Netherlands to offer this experience to recyclers. The machine is not only intuitive to use but is up to five times faster than than a traditional reverse vending machine, since beverage containers do not need to be inserted one by one – reducing queues and making the container return experience more convenient. 

"TOMRA R1 makes recycling cleaner than ever before, because customers no longer have to touch the packaging. Especially since there is now a deposit on cans in the Netherlands, it saves sticky hands. Recycling also takes less time because they can simply empty a bag of containers into the vending machine and then walk away as the machine counts the containers," said Mark Delwig, SVP Sales Western & Southern Europe at TOMRA Collection. "A pleasant recycling experience matters. Consumers care about the environment and want to contribute to it, but it helps if it is made as easy as possible for them. At Jumbo Eerbeek, they understood that well."

Innovation at the heart of TOMRA

A huge amount of innovation and activity is happening in the reverse vending space to ensure that recycling is pushing boundaries and reflecting the needs and habits of today’s savvy consumers and bustling return environments. 

“When we launched TOMRA R1, we predicted that the multi-feed solution would fundamentally transform the recycling experience,” said Jonas Døvik, Product Manager for TOMRA R1. “The machine has proven to be a success in providing a fast, hygienic and convenient solution to recyclers. We believe that the new drop and go functionality will take the convenience and speed of the multi-feed recycling experience to an even higher level for consumers.” 

TOMRA has also been working on improving its digital payout solutions to enable stores, recycling depots, and central system administrators of deposit return systems to offer paperless payout of recycling refunds through their apps and loyalty programs. It is more convenient for the individual consumer and makes it easier for stores to drive a digital user journey and integrate reverse vending activity into existing loyalty outreach efforts. It also reduces the need for staff to handle cash in-store and saves paper, engaging consumers to contribute to the environment and store sustainability initiatives. 

“The retailer can utilize our secure and flexible APIs (Digital Payout API) to offer payouts from their own consumer apps or through their payment partners, like Tikkie in Jumbo Eerbeek’s case,” says Chris Brasøygård, Product Manager Consumer Experience at TOMRA Collection. “With the new, highly attractive user journey made possible with the drop and go functionality, we anticipate the demand for flexibility in payout options will increase, and we are currently in the process of making more consumer payout alternatives available for our customers.”