Carrefour supermarket has launched an ingenious scheme that allows customers to drop off items not usually recycled in exchange for vouchers up to €15.  

A first in all of Europe, Carrefour supermarkets in France are inviting customers to bring in products that typically end up in the bin and swap them for cash vouchers. In a collaboration with TerraCycle and five corporate partners – Bic, DIM, Hasbro, Philips and Tefal – the project should help customers’ purchasing power and reduce waste.  

SEPARATE KIOSKS FOR DIFFERENT ITEMS 

The kiosks will be split into six categories of products that are not accepted in home recycling bins. These include, but are not limited to: toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes; razors and blades; writing instruments; tights, stockings, knee-highs and socks made of synthetic fibres; damaged toys; and pots and pans.  

In return for their goods, shoppers will then receive coupons ranging from €0.50 to €15 from the project’s partners, regardless of the state of the items or the brand. These vouchers will be redeemable on items from the partner brands.  

The kiosks are currently set up at six locations, including locally at Nice-Lingostière.  

The products dropped off will be taken to a TerraCycle site, a company that specialises in “difficult to recycle” items, where they will be repurposed into new objects, such as benches, flowerpots or building materials.  

“Thanks to this recycling solution in the parking lot of Carrefour stores, we are providing a simple and local solution to our customers, which will make it easier for them to sort [waste], while allowing them to receive a voucher,” said Carine Kraus, Executive Director of Engagement for the Carrefour Group. “It is very important, in the current context of inflation, to show that we can reconcile the environment and purchasing power.” 

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Photo source: Carrefour