Scottish Students Earn Cash for Recycling: Coca-Cola's Innovative Pilot Program

As of October 5th, 2025, cash-strapped students in Scotland are set to benefit from an innovative recycling program launched by a partnership between Coca-Cola Europacific Partners and the environmental nonprofit Keep Scotland Beautiful. The pilot initiative, taking place at New College Lanarkshire's campuses in Motherwell, Coatbridge, and Cumbernauld, will reward students for recycling their aluminum cans and plastic bottles.

Under the temporary program, students will receive a 20 pence ($0.27) credit for each eligible item they recycle through reverse vending machines on campus. These credits can then be redeemed at the college's canteens. The goal is to encourage students to recycle rather than discard their empty containers in the trash.

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners' Jo Padwick explains that the program will provide valuable insights into how people interact with reverse vending machines in real-world settings, including the practical and behavioral barriers to adoption, as well as what motivates students to participate.

Providing financial incentives for recycling has proven successful in boosting recycling rates in other regions. Data shows that the states with the highest recycling rates in the U.S. are those that offer a recycling refund, while those with the lowest rates do not provide such an incentive.