Run in partnership with environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful and the college, the initiative saw RVM usage increase eighty-fold compared with the same period last year. Students deposited 20,177 containers during the trial—up from just 255 previously—redeeming 80% of the 20p vouchers issued.
However, once the incentive ended, weekly recycling levels fell sharply, dropping 91% to 346 containers, highlighting the influence financial rewards can have on recycling habits.
CCEP said the results reinforce earlier findings from its work with the University of Strathclyde, where half of students surveyed said an incentive would encourage them to recycle more. The company is using these trials to understand how people will engage with the UK’s forthcoming Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), due to launch in 2027.
“It’s hugely encouraging to see such positive results from our trial,” said Jo Padwick, Senior Sustainability Manager at CCEP GB. “The findings clearly show that even a small incentive can be a powerful motivator to recycle and engage with a Deposit Return Scheme. These studies allow us to build a picture of what recycling behaviour will look like ahead of its rollout across the UK.”
Barry Fisher, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said consistent messaging and clear incentives were key to the surge in recycling, noting the importance of preparing the public ahead of a UK-wide DRS. College Principal Professor Christopher Moore added that the trial demonstrated how effective the “right incentives” can be in empowering young people to make positive environmental choices.