GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)

Out of Home Recycling Trial

GSK wanted to explore how to improve recycling rates for plastic bottles consumed outside the home, where infrastructure is limited and most waste is sent to landfill. Despite strong household recycling systems, high-footfall locations such as shopping centres lacked effective solutions to capture recyclable materials.

Solution

PPS supported a pilot programme using reverse vending machines (RVMs) to enable convenient plastic bottle recycling in out-of-home environments.

The project included:

• Deployment of RVMs across three major shopping centres
• Installation in high-footfall areas (e.g. food courts) to maximise participation
• Ongoing performance monitoring and material quality analysis
• Public engagement campaigns including signage, media activity, and promotions
• Consumer research to understand behaviour and adoption
• Development of a scalable business model for future rollouts

Results

The trial delivered clear environmental and engagement outcomes:

• Achieved 95% material purity, demonstrating effective sorting technology
• Recycling rates increased significantly following promotional campaigns
• High demand for incentives, with 95% identifying rewards as a key motivator

Key Insights

• Location is critical – high-footfall, visible placement drives usage
• Promotion increases performance – awareness campaigns nearly doubled collection rates
• Stakeholder engagement is essential – site staff support directly impacts success
• Incentives encourage participation, particularly in early adoption phases

Outcome

The project successfully demonstrated that reverse vending technology can deliver high-quality recycling in out-of-home environments. It provided GSK with a proven, transferable model for scaling recycling infrastructure in public spaces, helping to reduce landfill waste and support sustainability goals.