Vending

Reverse vending machines skip receipts, deposits cash directly to account

Photo: Adobe Stock

June 3, 2024

Researchers at the Lukasiewicz-Poznan Institute of Technology have developed a reverse vending machine that does not issue a receipt but instead returns money directly to users' accounts when they recycle bottles and cans, according to a press release.

The vending machine is set to hit the market this summer and stands apart from its predecessors with its streamlined reimbursement process. Most reverse vending machines currently on the market follow a similar process: A person drops in a can or a bottle, receives a receipt and then redeems the receipt at the company's POS. Some machines do offer a refund directly to their users' bank accounts; however, it is necessary to have a payment card on hand to do so.

Lukasiewicz PIT researchers have found a solution to what some call a cumbersome process.

"We are creating an algorithm that will allow any bank account number to be encoded with a few words," Tomasz Markowski, of Lukasiewicz –PIT, said in the release. "In very visual terms, it will look like this: when returning a bottle to the recycling machine, it will be enough to say, for example, a sequence of three specific words and the deposit will automatically be transferred to your account, without providing any other data or, for example, holding a card or phone."

The researchers want the devices to be easily accessible to encourage their users to recycle. "Wherever people consume beverages, by placing a recycling machine near them, we can influence their decision to recycle the packaging rather than throw it in the bin," Markowski said.