Bout' à Bout': the deposit for reuse and recycling of glass

Jean Zeid 06:53, March 7, 2024

This Friday morning, the deposit is trying to make its return.

This is a hypothetical return that we often talk about in these positive initiatives, and for good reason: The anti-waste law for a circular economy wants us to escape the era of disposable plastic: -50 by 2030. And for Having reached this point, a consultation on the possible establishment of a deposit for reuse and recycling of glass makes sense.

It is with the aim of reintroducing this practice that Célie Couché founded Bout' à Bout' in 2016 in Nantes, initially in the form of an association.

Today, Bout' à Bout' works with nearly a hundred drink producers and more than 200 distributors (wine merchants, grocery stores, stores, etc.) mainly located in Pays de la Loire.

Above all, Bout' à Bout' has just opened the largest glass container washing factory in France in Carquefou.

A factory that runs on renewable energy from Enercoop right next door.

All in all, it makes a great success story.

What must be said is that the instructions have long been anchored in the habits of the French.

A habit that was lost in the 90s. The reuse deposit means making the buyer of a product in a glass container pay a small additional amount which is refunded when they return their bottle or its jar so that they can be reused.

It has given way to single-use plastic and glass, which are less restrictive but much more polluting.

The principle of Bout' à Bout' is a little different since its objective is to first encourage producers of beer, milk, lemonade or fruit juice to standardize and reuse their glass bottles rather than buy new ones.

The company has more than 500 references of reused containers. There is plenty to choose from.

It also encourages consumers to return their bottles to the 200 partner collection points with an automatic machine available to find this deposit gesture.

And to help them, Bout' à Bout' distributes vouchers in exchange.

On the shelves, bottles likely to be recirculated can be easily identified using a pictogram.

The objective is therefore to facilitate the return of glass bottles.

Yes, and until you and I say that it is simpler and more advantageous to deposit than to go to the glass dumpster.

In 2023, Bout à bout arrived in supermarkets, it raised more than 7 million euros with around thirty employees on board.

Objective for 2024: convince the wine industry.