Recycle and donate, all in one place!

2021-10-01T11:30:51+02:0029. September 2021|
Spendenbox für Pfandflaschen

In Germany, when you buy a drink in a bottle, you have the option to return it and receive a deposit back. Of course, this is great for the environment. But now, if you return your bottles to the Rewe supermarket in Wiesentheid, you can also do something good for Mix for Kids. Two years ago, supermarket owner Dominik Bachmeier had the brainwave of setting up donation boxes next to the machine for returning empties. Instead of redeeming their deposit voucher at the checkout, customers can place their vouchers in one of the transparent plastic boxes. In doing so, they are supporting a charitable organization, including, as of recently, Mix for Kids.

“The idea is to help in a quick and easy way,” explained Dominik Bachmeier, who hoped that his customers would be willing to donate. Every month, he empties out the boxes and pays out the amount to the respective organizations. The more deposit vouchers in the box and the higher their value, the better for the charities. “The amount varies greatly. We’re talking anything from 8 cents to 12 euros,” added the store manager, who is delighted to see how well the campaign has been received by his customers. “Around 200 euros are collected per association every month.”

Since there are only four donation boxes for ten different regional institutions that benefit from the deposit vouchers, Dominik Bachmeier changes one of the name plates on the specially made donation wall every month. This means everyone gets their turn for four months at a time. “The nice thing is that charities don’t have to put any work into the campaign and yet they get a great deal out of it,” explained Bachmeier.

If you want to play even just a small part in supporting Mix for Kids, you can buy your drinks at Rewe in Wiesentheid and pop your deposit voucher into the box with the Mix for Kids logo once you’ve returned your bottles.