Message in the bottle, don't get short-changed on returns

© racorn – 123RF.com

Peninsula Beverage Company, local bottler and distributor of Coca-Cola products in the Western and Northern Cape, urges all consumers to be vigilant and make sure they receive the correct deposit for their bottles.

"It has been brought to our attention that consumers are not getting the full refund for their empty bottles and we urge everyone to know what deposit value they should receive," said Denise Behrens, Corporate Communications Manager at PenBev.

Returnable glass bottles have a refund value of R1.50 and the returnable plastic bottles have a R3.00 refund value.

"Shop owners are not permitted to adjust the refund prices. The deposit values for returnable bottles are governed by the Consumer Protection Act and must be paid in full to consumers. This has been communicated to all retailers who stock returnable products on a number of occasions and is prominently displayed on point of sales in these outlets. Consumers are welcome to return their empty bottles to any store that sells exactly the same product, even if it was not where the bottles were purchased.

Returning an empty bottle for a refund is an easy and beneficial way to preserve the environment because less recyclable bottles end up in landfills. "By bringing in an empty bottle for a refund, consumers are living in a more environmentally sustainable way. Once the bottles have run their course of refill cycles, they are recycled in an environmentally friendly manner," she concluded.

For more information, go to www.penbev.co.za.