140 million bottles returned at ALDI

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 05. 06. 12:06

In ALDI Hungary stores, customers have returned a record amount of around 140 million single-use packaging to REpont machines. At ALDI, consumers return an average of 3,000 plastic and aluminum bottles and glass per store per day. Most people request a store voucher that can be redeemed, but the proportion of those choosing a return is increasing.

ALDI Hungary has reached a significant milestone in reducing the amount of single-use packaging and reducing the environmental impact with the REpont machines. In the domestic return system (DRS), which was introduced on January 1, 2024, REpont machines located in each store of the supermarket chain are now available to customers in 183 ALDI stores in the country. Today, a total of 246 REpont machines are available to customers in 183 ALDI stores in the country. The company, where possible, placed the devices in a room separate from the sales area, so that the redemption process does not interfere with shopping.

The amount of beverage packaging returned has continuously increased since the introduction and has now reached 140 million pieces. On average, more than 3,000 glass, PET or aluminum bottles are put into the vending machines per store per day, but there is a store where customers return up to 10,000 beverage packaging. 58% of the bottles returned are PET, about 36% are aluminum bottles and 6% are glass.

In Hungary, every eleventh of the bottles redeemable in the DRS system were returned at ALDI stores.

In the case of redemption, the number of people requesting in-store shopping vouchers is now decreasing, currently around 84%, and the proportion of those choosing to transfer money via the REpont application is increasing. Currently, nearly one-sixth of consumers request the return to their bank account, and 0.35% of those who return bottles donate the amount due for the bottles to charity. In parallel, according to ALDI’s experience, many people choose another form of support and donate to charity by scanning the QR code of a non-profit organization to request a return of the return.

ALDI has continuously expanded the number of its products whose packaging has been included in the system ensuring the circular economy model: the company currently has around 870 products registered in the DRS system that can be returned at any REpoint, and this number is constantly expanding with the arrival of new seasonal and promotional products.