Kaufland Romania is the first retailer with a national recycling infrastructure

With the development of an easily accessible ecological infrastructure, Romanians are becoming more interested in protecting the environment and choose in increasing numbers to recycle pets, bottles or aluminum cans. Thus, since January and until now over 1 million customers have used the vending machines provided by Kaufland Romania, recycling over 5,700,000 packages.

To support environmentally responsible behavior, Kaufland Romania has created the first national network of selective packaging collection machines, which is now available in all cities in the country where the company is present. Customers who use vending machines and recycle are rewarded on the spot with shopping discounts.

Under the slogan “Recycle and Save”, Kaufland is launching a comprehensive campaign to encourage recycling, increasing the discounts offered on certain products on sale.

Customers who deposit packaging for recycling are rewarded with a discount coupon, which can be used in-store shopping. The mechanism is simple: the customer who brings 5 ​​containers (PETs with a volume of up to 3 liters, bottles or aluminum cans with a volume of up to 1 liter) to the vending machines in the parking lots of Kaufland stores across the country receives a 10 percent voucher extra discount compared to the promo price communicated in the offer, for an article in the magazine.

Coupons can be obtained and used for 2 weeks in all Kaufland stores that have at least one recycling machine.

“The number of Romanians who choose to recycle is constantly growing. This confirms to us that we have managed to build a true ecosystem of sustainability. We believe that the synergy between us and our customers who cross our threshold sets all this infrastructure in motion and that together we manage to protect the environment and consume responsibly. That is why we wanted every community we belong to to enjoy recycling machines that are easy to use and accessible, regardless of the region they come from ”, said Valer Hancaș, Director of Communication & Corporate Affairs Kaufland Romania.

The company started equipping stores in the country with selective collection vending machines since 2018, with 3 stores, reaching today a network of 144 vending machines, and the number of customers who recycle has now increased by over 40 percent compared to the 700,000 who recycled in September 2020.

Kaufland aims to reduce the use of plastic by 20 percent by 2025, and 100 percent of the packaging of its own branded products to be made of materials that allow a maximum level of recyclability.