Encorp has been working with stakeholders to lead the development of a set of minimum standards related to customer service, hours, facility appearance & operations, and other regulatory requirements to obtain a Redemption Centre Operating Licence from the New Brunswick Government. All Beverage Containers Program (BCP) stakeholders are currently involved in a consultation process which started this past August: the NB Government (DELG), redemption centres (Eastern Recyclers Association) and distributors (ANBL and Encorp).
Setting standards will help establish a level playing field, improve consistency of the used beverage container (UBC) redemption experience for consumers, and ensure redemption centres (RCs) are ready/able to integrate technology tools—such as our EnSys-Connex POS system and bag drop options—to modernize the UBC collection network.
Parallel to the consultation process with BCP stakeholders, we are also currently conducting consumer research to better understand beverage product consumers regarding:
- current knowledge and perceptions of the BCP, beverages part of the program, deposit/refunds and contributions to the New Brunswick Environmental Trust Fund (ETF);
- which consumers (profiles) are not redeeming their UBCs and how to attract them to start using the UBC collection network;
- current perceptions of the UBC redemption experience—especially since COVID-19; and
- concepts for the redemption centre of the future and its branding elements to find out which concepts resonate the most with consumers as well as current and future expectations in a contactless and self-serve UBC redemption/recycling experience.
