Re-turn defends scheme branded 'stupid tax' in complaints revealed by Irish Mirror

Minister Ossian Smyth has been bombarded with complaints about vending machines rejecting bottles and cans

Re-turn has defended its recycling scheme after the Irish Mirror revealed that one in five containers were being rejected by reverse vending machines, prompting customers to describe the controversial levy as a “stupid tax”.

Briefing material sent by Re-turn CEO Ciaran Foley to Minister of State Ossian Smyth showed that 80 percent of bottles and cans inserted into the machines at the end of March were being accepted.

The machines had been spitting out more than half of the containers returned by customers at the beginning of the scheme, and acceptance rates dipped as low as 35 percent during the second week of February.

Correspondence obtained by the Irish Mirror under the Freedom of Information Act shows that Minister Smyth has been bombarded with complaints about vending machines rejecting bottles and cans.

“What a stupid tax you’ve put on cans,” one person wrote on March 15, while another wanted to know “who is keeping my money?” and claimed that “someone is making a fortune out of this”.

A spokesman for Re-turn said that the company “understands the concerns raised regarding reverse vending machines and the rejection rates”, and outlined some of the reasons why containers are not being accepted.

“Our data demonstrates that a significant proportion of rejected containers were never eligible for a deposit refund in the first place as a deposit had not been paid,” he said, adding that these are considered “valid rejections”.

The spokesman confirmed that anomalies had been detected in “a very small number of cases” in which products were not properly registered with the scheme, and added that these had been corrected immediately.

He said the statistics included instances in which containers were initially rejected by reverse vending machines, but were subsequently accepted. “Temporary rejection” can occur for several reasons, including incorrect orientation, slight dents or deformations, and “interference from fingers”, the spokesman added.

“Moreover, machines’ acceptance rates have shown consistent improvement as more consumers become familiar with the scheme and learn how to use the machines.”

He said the current valid rejection rate involving containers that were not subject to a deposit under the scheme stands at right percent. “At Re-turn, we remain fully committed to enhancing consumer experience and minimising any inconvenience,” he added.

“We encourage consumers to reach out to us directly with any concerns, and we will continue collaborating with our partners to provide a reliable and efficient return system.”

Complaints received by Minister Smyth seen by the Irish Mirror included one instance in which a customer had brought two bags containing more than 20 bottles to a machine on April 2, but only four were accepted.

They complained that machines were not taking containers on which deposits had been paid, and “the shops take no responsibility”. Another remarked: “What a stupid tax you’ve put on cans. If they’re even remotely dinged, the machine won’t take them… I was on my way to the hairdressers so [I] threw them in the bin.”

On March 6, a consumer reported that they had taken 30 cans “in perfect condition” to a reverse vending machine, but only three of them were accepted. “[I] put the rest in a bin on the street. Some recycling. This is a total scam. Who is keeping my money?… Someone is making a fortune out of this,” they added.

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