Growing Mayo engagement in deposit return scheme

SuperValu and Centra are marking 11,823,190 container returns across 23 stores in Mayo, just two years after the launch of the Deposit Return Scheme. With the largest Deposit Return Scheme estate of any retailer in Ireland, Musgrave is among the first retailers to reach 500 million container returns.

SuperValu and Centra stores have seen growing customer engagement with the scheme over the past two years, with customers no longer returning containers occasionally but planning returns as part of their weekly shop. This shift is particularly evident on Saturdays and Sundays, now the busiest recycling period in SuperValu and Centra stores, when customers tend to bring larger volumes of containers at once.

SuperValu Tidy Towns committee participation in the Deposit Return Scheme also rose to 36 per cent in 2025, generating approximately €77,000 in returns for local Tidy Towns projects, up from €60,000 in 2024.

The scheme is also delivering tangible community benefits, with customers generously donating their deposits to national charity partners. To date, a total of €380,000 has been donated in deposits to AsIAm, Irish Cancer Society and Focus Ireland through the SuperValu and Centra store network, demonstrating how small, everyday actions can make a meaningful difference.

A total of 723 Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) are installed across 577 SuperValu and Centra stores across the 26 counties in Ireland - empowering communities across Ireland to conveniently make returns and move towards more sustainable shopping habits.

Commenting on the milestone, Luke Hanlon, Managing Director of SuperValu and Centra said: “As a community retailer with one of the largest networks of reverse vending machines in the country, SuperValu and Centra are proud of the positive recycling impact being made by customers across Mayo. Over the last two years, customers in Mayo have returned an impressive amount of 11,823,190 containers through our reverse vending machines, contributing to a remarkable 500 million containers returned nationwide during that time. Together, these efforts are helping to reduce litter locally and support Ireland’s transition to a more circular economy.

“This milestone reflects the strong commitment of our customers in Mayo, alongside the continued investment and innovation of our independent retailers and the generosity shown through donations to local charity partners. It’s a powerful example of how small, everyday actions can deliver meaningful benefits for communities right across the county.”