Olyns collaborates with Mars Wrigley to develop ‘slot machine’ recycling reward system

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Olyns is collaborating with Mars Wrigley to launch the Sweet Rewards Challenge – an approach that rewards consumers for recycling plastic candy and gum containers by gamifiying the process.

Beginning this week, individuals in Northern California who deposit qualifying candy containers in an Olyns Reverse Vending Machine will have a chance to win thousands of dollars in rewards.

“Packaging waste is a challenge that requires new and innovative solutions. At Mars, we’re committed to contributing to a circular plastics economy where no packaging becomes waste.” said Justin Comes, Vice President of R&D, Mars Wrigley North America, “We’re excited to work with Olyns on this innovative approach to the collection and recycling of rigid plastics.”

The Sweet Rewards Challenge will run at select retailers in the San Francisco Bay Area for a limited time beginning on October 25th, 2022.

“Rigid plastic containers, like those used for gum and candy, may slip through the cracks of traditional recycling systems because they’re too small. And because states don’t offer redemption value, there is a limited incentive in recycling them,” said Philip Stanger, Co-Founder and CEO of Olyns.

“We’re changing that by combining convenient recycling with fun and rewards. Every time you deposit a candy container in one of our RVM Cubes, you’ll get a chance to unlock badges and win cash. We’ve set it up like a slot machine, but instead of inserting a coin to play, you deposit an empty candy container.”

Olyns’ plug-and-play recycling Cubes feature a 65-inch HD video display, offering a new way for advertisers to reach consumers in-store. During the Sweet Rewards Challenge, in addition to ads and sustainability messaging, the screen will display colorful slot machine images and “winner” announcements every time a recycler wins a cash reward.