Rimi Latvia retailer to spend over EUR 1 million on bottle deposit system at its stores

RIGA - Rimi Latvia retailer plans to spend over EUR 1 million to introduce a bottle deposit system at its stores by February 1 so that clients can deposit empty PET bottles and metal cans at more than 100 Rimi stores, the company's spokesman Juris Sleiers informed LETA.

He said that last week Rimi Latvia signed an agreement with Deposita Iepakojuma Operators (Deposit Packaging Operator), the company introducing the deposit system in Latvia, to install reverse vending machines for the collection of beverage containers at Rimi stores. 

"The deposit system is a long-awaited solution which will allow to reduce pollution in Latvia's environment and promote the recycling of containers," said Sleiers.

For each deposited bottle, shoppers will receive a voucher worth 10 euro cents, which they will be able to use for buying food and other goods at Rimi stores. The bottles and cans deposited in the reverse vending machines will be delivered to Deposita Iepakojuma Operators for further processing. It is expected that the reverse vending machines at Rimi stores will be able to collect more than 100 million beverage containers. 

As reported, in the fall of 2020, the government adopted the new Deposit System Operation Regulations, which determine the terms of acceptance, collection, processing, preparation and re-use of deposit packaging, special instructions for deposit packaging and conditions of use, and a number of other issues related to the operation of the system.

The deposit system is due to be launched in Latvia on February 2022.