Real Change. Real Business Impact.
Rewarding Recycling With Ocado.
Challenge
The problem with this system is that the typical deposit return scheme model was developed in the 1980s and uses reverse vending machines (RVMs). These machines are carbon-intensive, a great expense both financially and spatially for retailers, and also inconvenient for customers.
Solution
Using a unique-every-time Polytag GS1 Digital Link QR code, customers can scan the product once and get their deposit back. The unique everytime QR codes enables the app to issue deposit securely, as they can only be scanned once per item.
Result
The performance results of the API were 100% uptime, and above-average response speeds for serialised code checks (code verify), and scans (deposit redemptions).
03 — The story
Deposit return, from the kerbside.
In 2023 Ocado Retail, Polytag and Bower ran the UK’s first nationwide digital deposit return trial. Polytag generated and stored over 2.5 million unique serialised codes for Ocado’s full range of six fresh milk products. Shoppers scanned the code on the bottle, recycled it at home through kerbside collection and claimed a 20p reward, with no reverse vending machine involved.
04 — The experience
Scan once. Get the deposit back.
Each bottle carries a unique-every-time GS1 Digital Link QR code. Scanned in the Bower app, it is checked in real time against the Polytag ledger: is the code genuine, and has it already been redeemed? Each code can be redeemed only once, so the deposit is paid securely.
Features: serialised codes · real-time code check
05 — Platform
Built with.
On the phone
Serialised QR codes
Over 2.5 million unique GS1 Digital Link codes, generated and stored by Polytag.
Real-time code check
A secure API checks every scan against the Polytag ledger, so each code redeems once.
Digital deposit return
Rewards claimed by phone, with bottles recycled through kerbside collection.
At the line
Invisible UV Tags
Low-cost tags on the same label, invisible to the shopper.
UV Tag Readers
Smart cameras on the plastics conveyor count tagged bottles at the MRF.
06 — The numbers
Rewards redeemed in 56 days.
Ocado DDRS trial, 2023
Of people who scanned the product went on to recycle it.
Ocado DDRS trial, 2023
Unique serialised codes generated and stored.
Ocado DDRS trial, 2023
Of Bower users were positive about a digital return scheme.
Ocado DDRS trial, 2023
Opens video player. Press Enter or Space to play.Ocado Retail uses Smart QR Codes powered by Polytag. GS1 as standard. Data capture and marketing 👍
In 2023, Ocado partnered with Polytag and the free recycling app Bower, trialled the UK’s first national deposit return scheme for recyclable products.
Currently, legislation for deposit return schemes is set to land in the UK in 2025. Customers will pay a deposit – likely to be 20p – on top of the price of their drinks bottles and will be able to redeem the 20p once their bottle has been recycled properly. Deposit return schemes have been proven to increase recycling rates and work brilliantly in much of mainland Europe. The problem with this system is that the typical deposit return scheme model was developed in the 1980s and uses reverse vending machines (RVMs). These machines are carbon-intensive, a great expense both financially and spatially for retailers, and also inconvenient for customers.
Using a unique-every-time Polytag GS1 Digital Link QR code, customers can scan the product once and get their deposit back. The unique everytime QR codes enables the app to issue deposit securely, as they can only be scanned once per item. But something like this hasn’t been done on a nationwide scale – until now.
API connection to ensure one-time redemptions
This world first full-scale Digital DRS demonstration delivered by Polytag and Bower was enabled by a secure, seamless connection between the technology stacks. Polytag generated and stored over 2.5 million unique serialised codes that were applied to Ocado Retail’s full range of six fresh milk products. An API was leveraged so that when Bower App users scanned a QR code on their Ocado Retail milk bottle, a real-time check was performed to verify that the given unique serialised code was in the Polytag ledger, and to check whether it had already been scanned, or if it was redeemable. The performance results of the API were 100% uptime, and above-average response speeds for serialised code checks (code verify), and scans (deposit redemptions). The API was simple to set up, tested thoroughly before the trial launched, and was fully secure as per rest API protocols and OAuth security.
Making a positive environment impact is a stronger motivator to participate in the scheme than financial reward.
