A Qormi cash and carry has announced that it will no longer be accepting bottle returns for the BCRS beverage container scheme, saying it is a "total ripoff". 

Ta' Ganza said that scheme operators were rejecting an excessively large number of drinks containers, forcing the establishment to foot the bill for refunds it would have already paid to customers. 

Introduced in 2022, the Beverage Container Refund Scheme introduced a 10c tariff on every drink container, that can then be refunded if the container is returned to the company for recycling. 

The most common way of recycling containers is through BCRS reverse vending machines dotted across the country. 

But many shops also allow customers to return containers to them directly. Shops issue 10c refunds to clients, and are in turn paid 12c per container by BCRS when it collects them from the establishment.  

However, a representative from Ta’ Ganza said that the system is leaving the company out of pocket. 

Diane Curmi said that despite employing a full-time worker to handle BCRS returns, too many of the bottles and cans are being rejected - despite no evident damage.  

Showing a recent invoice, Curmi said that in a batch of 3,709 containers sent to BCRS, 205 were rejected. 

“It’s like I gave away €20 for free,” she said. 

Curmi explained that one of the main reasons she had decided to participate in the scheme was convenience to clients, but it has become more of a burden to her business. 

“We have been putting up with this situation for quite some time, because we take the time to scan the bottles and make sure they are not damaged and placed in the bag properly,” she said. 

“But then on the invoice of every batch we’re being told that there are 20 or 30 rejects, sometimes even up to 200 as you can see.” 

The invoice published by Ta' Ganza showing over 200 rejects. Photo: Ta' Ganza

Curmi estimated that the shop sends back some 6,000 containers to BCRS every month.

“When we asked for an explanation we were told that the bottles were either coming in squashed or with the barcode torn,” Curmi continued. “At that point, I started opening the bags and checking them all myself.

"While I would find maybe three or four bottles that weren’t up to scratch, it certainly wasn’t the 20 or 30 from every bag that we were seeing being rejected.” 

That high number of returns, coupled with a BCRS decision to slash payments to retailers that participate in the scheme, means Ta' Ganza has called it quits.  

Curmi said the decision was further fuelled by the operator's decision to revise handling fees for returns. 

As of Wednesday, shops that accept returns from customers will only be paid a 1c premium per container, effectively halving the fee for shops.

Curmi was told that she would be able to retain the 2c fee only if she signed up for a B2B card that would then oblige her to return all customers' beverage containers at a BCRS machine or facility herself.  

“It’s not an easy decision, because customers aren’t going to like it, but the system isn’t working properly,” she said. “We cannot keep losing money, because we’ve already paid people for those deposits that are being rejected.”

Times of Malta has reached out to BCRS for comment. 

BCRS is made up of representatives of most of Malta's largest beverage producers and importers. By law, it must operate as a non-profit and funnel profits it makes back into the scheme.