THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bid to promote responsible waste disposal, the Kerala State Beverages Corporation Limited (Bevco) is rolling out its plastic bottle return scheme from Wednesday. The pilot project will begin at 20 Bevco outlets, 10 each in Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur, and will gradually expand to other districts.

As part of the initiative, a refundable deposit of Rs 20 will be collected from customers purchasing QR-coded plastic liquor bottles. The deposit will be returned once the used bottle is brought back to the same outlet, provided the label remains intact.

“This is a step towards sustainable retail practices,” said Harshitha Attaluri, Managing Director of Bevco. “The tamper-proof label will carry the shop name, and customers are expected to return the bottle to the same outlet initially to avoid overcrowding at any one location.”

The label system and associated software were developed with the help of C-DIT. The label will be applied at the outlet itself, along with a separate receipt. However, the MD clarified, “Customers do not need to bring back the extra receipt, just the bottle with the intact label will suffice.”

The scheme includes setting up counters at the outlets, which will be managed by Kudumbashree members. These staffers will collect the bottles, deface the labels, and dispose of them in designated bins. Bevco has signed an agreement with Clean Kerala Company, which will handle the collection and recycling of the returned bottles.