Tesco, Aldi and Morrisons take part in townwide digital recycling trial

// The three big grocers are taking part in a trial that covers all of Welshpool in Powys, where consumers will be offered 10p to return empty drinks containers

// The trial is thought to be the biggest ever trial of a digital deposit returns scheme

Tesco, Morrisons and Aldi are among the retailers backing the biggest trial to date of a digital recycling scheme that offers consumers financial incentives.

The three-month trial will kick off in Welshpool, Powys, in September and covers 3,000 households and almost 800 SKUs sold by retailers in the Welsh town.

People will be offered a 10p reward for recycling drinks containers, which they claim through an app.

The digital deposit return scheme will be the first to include glass and cartons, according to The Grocer.

READ MORE: In a UK first, Morrisons launches coffee pod recycling scheme with Podback

Duncan Midwood, CEO of Circularity Solutions, who is leading the trial for the DDRS Alliance, said it was the biggest trial of digital deposit returns schemes to date and it expected around 200,000 items to be returned.

He said this could be a “landmark moment” in the development of digital recycling schemes.

Consumers will be able to scan products before they are recycled both through kerbside collections and at collection points in locations such as Tesco.

Those that partake in the trial will not have to pay a deposit for the products, though they would have to if the scheme is introduced more widely.

The move comes as the UK government is expected to uveil more details on its plans for deposit returns schemes in the coming days, including what role digital could play.

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