Meijer to Re-open Bottle/Can Returns Across Michigan on June 15

Retailer to begin accepting beverage containers for return with conditions

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Jun 11, 2020, 10:00 ET

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., June 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Meijer announced today that it will begin accepting beverage containers for return on Monday, June 15 at its Michigan stores after temporarily discontinuing returns in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Currently, there is an estimated $65 million in unreturned beverage containers in Michigan. Retailers will need to take additional action around sanitization and social distancing to accommodate the expected return of large quantities of bottles and cans that have been stockpiled during the pandemic. Therefore, Meijer is asking its customers to also prepare appropriately and follow a few simple tips when returning bottles and cans to make the process as smooth as possible.

These include:

Separate your bottles and cans before coming to the store to help keep the flow of customers moving.
Drain all cans and bottles and place them in clean bags/containers before coming to the store.
Only bring beverage container brands that are sold at Meijer stores.
Understand the maximum amount of returnable beverage containers is $25 each visit.
Plan accordingly before you arrive as the bottle return rooms will be busy.
Please be patient, practice social distancing and wear a face covering.

"These last few months have posed numerous challenges, but we appreciate the patience of all our customers and team members as we navigated through them together," said Todd Weer, Meijer Senior Vice President of Stores. "We know there is an abundance of beverage containers waiting to be recycled, so we're asking all of our customers to please be patient and respectful toward each other as we deal with a volume of returnable containers that we've never seen before."

About Meijer: Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates more than 248 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. A privately-owned and family-operated company since 1934, Meijer pioneered the "one-stop shopping" concept and has evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel departments, pet departments, garden centers, toys and electronics. For additional information on Meijer, please visit www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer and @twitter.com/MeijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.