The Deposit Return Scheme is enjoying a 90% return rate at Supervalu and Centra stores across the country, Musgraves has confirmed. 

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Musgraves spokesman Owen Keogh said the company has seen ‘very, very positive’ results from the scheme so far. 

The scheme was introduced in February of this year across Irish stores.

Since its implementation, there have been continuous reports of the scheme's growing success, with Musgraves now boasting a return rate of 90%.

“Our data shows, across the 680 reverse vending machines that we have across around 550 stores, that the return rate of the bottles and cans that are in the scope of the scheme is really positive," Mr Keogh said. 

"We’re achieving a 90% return rate at the moment, which essentially means that for every 100 units of bottles and cans that are in the scope of the scheme, that leave the front doors, we’re getting about 90 back – which is very, very positive given the scheme has only been in place since February.” 

This comes after the Coastwatch Europe said early reports from autumn survey suggest the scheme has led to a "massive reduction" in in plastic bottles, aluminium cans and steel tins washing up on the Irish shoreline. 

Other sustainability measures

As well as the implementation of Desposit Return Scheme machines across their stores, Musgraves have driven a number of sustainability intiatives in both their stores and wholesale warehouses.

Mr Keogh confirmed the company is using Hyrdo-treated Vegetable Oil - an emissions slashing fuel - for their larger fleets.

"We’re calling it a transitionary fuel in that we’re seeing it as quite a good replacement for diesel at the moment especially for our heavy goods fleet. So we have used this year about a million litres of HVO fuel so far," he said.

Mr Keogh continued: "We’ve also engaged in initiatives like 'Too Good To Go' where customers can go on to an app and get a surprise bag of products that may otherwise be food waste in a day or two’s time but they can get that at a really knocked down price with that app.

"So we’re driving a number of different initiatives to make sure there's no waste in the first place."

Listen back to the interview here:

A Re-turn Deposit Return Scheme machine is seen at a Tesco supermarket, 27-4-24. Image: Leah Farrell/© RollingNews.ie