According to Nestlé, the 123 gram steel cup “Anita in Steel” is suitable for food with a longer shelf life due to its gas-tight packaging. The first trial partners to test the innovation are Nestlé with its “Nesquik” cocoa, coffee roasters Hoppenworth & Ploch and BE.AN. According to the “Lebensmittel Zeitung”, the deposit on the cups is initially 2.50 euros. Customers can return the empty container – just as with plastic bottles – to the reverse vending machine for beverage bottles.
Rewe is currently testing this in four stores. With a new returnable deposit system developed by the Frankfurt-based start-up Circolution in cooperation with Nestlé, steel cups are to replace plastic food packaging. This is supposed to save waste and conserve resources.
The plastic lid of the “Anita” cup is to be recycled and melted down for new lids. Only an aluminium foil, which is under the lid, has to be disposed of by the customers in the yellow bag. The collection after return at the retailer, the inspection, the cleaning and the return transport for refilling at the brand manufacturer is to be carried out by Circolution. According to the start-up, the steel cups can be reused up to 80 times.
