For local authorities keen to meet recycling targets and divert material from the residual waste stream, householders play a key role. A new collaboration between Reconomy brand Valpak and the Bower recycling rewards app is helping to educate consumers, while also rewarding them for their efforts. For local authorities, it offers a new way to increase recycling at kerbside and in stores.
With new legislation such as Plastic Packaging Tax raising demand for recycled material, and combined with the requirements of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging, every sector of the supply chain is focused on recycling. Consumer awareness is also growing, particularly when it comes to plastic.
However, as some members of the public are prepared to go the extra mile, embracing reuse and initiatives such as in-store collections for film, others still need encouragement to take part in kerbside collections. During a cost of living crisis, when local authority budgets for communications campaigns are slim, we need to find innovative ways to engage householders. Local authorities can take advantage of this free resource to increase engagement with members of the public and drive higher levels of recycling into the system.
The award-winning Bower app educates and rewards consumers for recycling packaging items. When consumers scan items via the app on their phone, they receive instructions on how to recycle, and are given the option to redeem a range of rewards – from cash and charity donations to product coupons.
Bower reports that 48 per cent of users recycle more packaging thanks to the app, and Valpak is keen to support the initiative to drive higher recycling. It works closely with household names, allowing participating brands to offer opportunities such as consumer coupons, recycling challenges and competitions or enabling users to plant a tree. Fun and playful elements help it appeal to users, who can recycle alone or compete against friends or colleagues.
The Scandinavian brand, which has half a million users signed up, entered the UK six months ago.
Under the new collaboration, the app will link to Valpak’s recycle-more website. Users can register their household containers as recycling points, or find bring sites and HWRCs listed on recycle-more.
Bower already works with global brands and has seen over 50 million items of packaging recycled through the app. Those signed up to Valpak’s compliance service will receive free integration for 50 products, as well as being able to add product recycling instructions, packshots that show up when consumers scan other products, and brand coupons.
In a modern world with media-savvy consumers, we need to keep pace with expectations and present recycling as an up-to-date activity. Combining education with rewards and an attractive interface goes a long way to build a new following.
