France/The glass deposit experiment makes a comeback in 4 regions

Glass bottle deposits are back, and 4 regions of France are experimenting with them for 18 months, starting this Thursday June 12, to reduce waste and limit the use of plastic.

The return of returnable glass bottles begins today in 4 regions. The eco-organization Citéo is launching a trial in Brittany, Pays de la Loire, Normandy and Hauts-de-France. It is due to last 18 months, and will involve up to 16 million inhabitants.

Starting this Thursday, 8 returnable product references will be offered in 80 stores. By October, the scheme is due to be rolled out progressively in around 750 stores, with the release of 55 million packs. Recycling machines are installed in partner supermarkets.

Reducing plastic use

For the time being, only two standard glass bottle formats will be marketed. In concrete terms, you buy your glass bottle for a few dozen cents more, and if you take it back, you get those cents back in change or a voucher. The aim is to give the same bottle several lives, thereby reducing waste and the use of plastic.

Some chains have already been offering bottle deposits for a number of years, such as Carrefour in Athis-Mons (Essonne). Are customers ready to switch to returnable glass? But they still need to spot returnable products on the shelves. "No, I haven't seen it," says Lydie, who'd really like to get started.

"It's so much plastic, it's crazy. But it will depend on which stores allow glass recovery," adds the customer.

It will also depend on the number of products involved, Romain points out: "If I had the choice, of the same brand, between a plastic bottle and a returnable bottle, without hesitation I'd take the returnable bottle". "Here, for example, there's Coca-Cola, 2.39 euros a liter. It costs twice as much, but I want to encourage people, so I'll go for it anyway," he says.

Too high a price?

A higher price is impossible for Nadège, who goes for the red plastic bottles.

Unfortunately," she says,

is that we can't necessarily afford to treat ourselves," she says.

Empty containers have to be collected, sorted and washed: "These are costs that don't exist in the single-use model. We throw away the packaging, so the manufacturer doesn't have to worry about what happens to it afterwards". Pauline Guillaume is in charge of CSR projects at Carrefour.

The company is taking part in Citéo's experiment with a large-scale glass deposit: "The main aim, in the end, is to ensure that there is a lot of volume. Because that's the only way we'll be able to generate economies of scale". The aim, she insists, is for a reusable bottle to cost the consumer less than its single-use equivalent.

The 8 product references on offer include drinks (water, fruit juices, soups, beer, lemonade) from brands belonging to the Danone, Lorina, Refresco, LSDH, Goudale, Les Celliers and Les Délices de la mer groups in Coopérative U stores. On the packaging, you'll find a small purple label that reads "bring me back for reuse" and, for some packages, a purple banner that reads "get your deposit back by bringing back this package".

Source: www.msn.com/