Coca-Cola Austria rewards consumer bottle recycling with points-for-coupons app

17 Nov 2020 --- Coca-Cola Austria is introducing a recycled bottle tracking app to encourage Austrian consumers to recycle and close the single-use packaging loop. 

Starting next spring, Coca-Cola consumers can check in at a collection container and scan their bottle caps before recycling to gain points redeemable as credits in the food catering sector.

“We see digital technologies on the smartphone with an incentive program as an opportunity to make end consumers aware of their responsibility and their necessary contribution to sustainability,” a Coca-Cola Austria representative tells PackagingInsights. 

“At the same time, [they present] an opportunity to promote and support long-term behavioral change through gamification and rewards.”

Meeting the 2030 recycling targets
The move is supported by Reclay Austria, a national recycling and collection company. “We want to rethink the circular economy. The topic of ecologization plays a central role in this context,” says managing director Christian Abl.

The app aims to bring Austria’s annual PET bottle recycling rates from 70 to 90 percent – aligning with the EU’s 2029 recycling target.

Click to EnlargeThe app rewards points for bottles recycled, redeemable as vouchers in the catering sector.“We are pursuing our goal of creating a world without waste by 2030 and want to get 100 percent of our packaging back,” adds Laszlo Niklos, general manager at Coca-Cola Austria.

“To achieve this, we must motivate consumers to recycle properly. We can only achieve a clean and healthy environment together.”

Consumers crucial in closing the loop
Austria will struggle to meet its recycling targets through existing systems, according to Coca-Cola Austria. 

Abl maintains that Reclay Austria is in favor of a modern deposit system for non-refillable containers and basing its efforts on other countries’ progress. 

“In the development of ecological packaging, we rely heavily on the advantages of digitalization. In this way, we contribute to making this packaging more recyclable and at the same time more customer-friendly,” says Abl.

Likewise, consumer involvement is “essential” for continuously increasing the recycling rate, says Coca-Cola HBC Austria, one of the country’s largest beverage bottlers.

“Regardless of the final concept, it is necessary to actively involve consumers and reward them [consumers] for changing their behavior,” explains general manager Herbert Bauer.

“We need a holistic solution that provides the greatest added value economically and ecologically.”

Digitalization deepens
Digitalization on-pack is reaching unprecedented levels, especially in the bottled packaging sector. PackagingInsights previously looked into how digital technology is revitalizing a traditionally stagnant alcoholic beverage sector.

Australian tech start-up Third Aurora recently introduced an augmented reality (AR) platform, enabling smartphone cameras to scan packaging and project virtual content on wine bottles.

Translated and written by Anni Schleicher

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