In Lidl stores a client-friendly deposit system will start operating on February 1st

In all Lidl’s stores in Latvia the work on installation of taromats and verification of their performance has been completed. Already on February 1st at 7.00 taromats at eighteen Lidl stores will be ready to accept PET and glass bottles, as well as aluminum cans marked with the appropriate deposit markings. Lidl has invested almost EUR 3.5 million in the purchase, installation and implementation of taromat system.

Taromats are located conveniently and safely for clients in store entry areas, or in specailly built premises near the store entrances. Although taromats will start operating on February 1st, Lidl initially will not yet sell beverages with the deposit markings – their introduction into the store assortment will happen gradually, through the transitional period provided for by the law. Lidl will continue to sell the already purchased beverages, keeping their prices low, without adding the 10 cent deposit fee on them. The beverages marked with the Latvian deposit marking will appear on sale gradually, during the transitional phase which will end on July 31, 2022. The additional 10 cent deposit fee will be clearly marked in price labels.

Things to keep in mind, when coming to deposit tare at Lidl:

- If you just want to deposit tare, you do not have to stand in line for the store.

- If you want to shop at the store with the deposit coupon, or to get a deposit payout at the till, you may have to wait in line to enter the store.

- Bottles and cans should be placed uncompressed in the taromat to allow it to read the deposit mark and barcode.

- Lidl taromats will accept tare purchased at any store in Latvia, as long as it is appropriately marked.

- Improperly marked or damaged containers can be conveniently disposed in waste sorting containers.

- The maximum number of bottles and cans deposited at one time is not limited.

- The printed deposit coupon can only be used for shopping in the same Lidl store, or you can receive a cash payment at the till.

- The validity of the deposit coupon is 6 months from the date of issue.

Lidl is the first and currently the only retailer in Latvia to purchase, install and service taromats in its stores, thus ensuring complete control over the successful operation of the deposit system. This is the international practice of Lidl, which ensures the introduction of a closed life cycle into the circulation of packaging containers. Bottles and cans transferred to Lidl taromats will be pre-processed at Lidl logistics centre and then transferred to SIA DIO for further processing.

"The introduction of the deposit system in Latvia is the basis for the implementation of a viable circular economy. The more tare we submit for recycling, the more we can expand its re-use and reduce the amount of waste in nature,” emphasizes Antra Birzule, head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Lidl Latvija.

As A. Birzule points out, using plastic from already recycled PET bottles will reduce the need for new plastic production by introducing a closed cycle in plastic circulation and eliminating the need for the production of new plastic. The benefits of implementing the deposit system are a cleaner environment, saving natural resources and reusing them repeteadly.

As part of the International Schwarz Group, Lidl has committed itself to the REset Plastic strategy, which involves reducing the use of plastic. Lidl is committed to making the package of its private brand products as recyclable as possible, and using at least 20% recycled plastic, but in the production of its private label drink bottles to use only 100% recyclable plastic.