Returpack is the company that facilitates over 2 Billion deposits of recyclable PET bottles and cans in Sweden through a network of reverse vending machines. The fintech startup Payer was chosen to develop a new and innovative IoT technology with the ambition to create an easy digital payout experience for consumers. The digital solution, based on Payer’s API payments platform, is now being rolled out across Sweden.

Returpack has since the 1980’s been the company that is managing the national deposit return scheme in Sweden. Over 2 Billion containers are recycled through Returpack each year. 

The system works effectively so that the deposit is added to the price when a consumer purchases a single-use drinks container in retail. The deposit is returned to the customer at the point of collection through a reverse vending machine. Traditionally the consumer obtains a physical voucher that is printed from the machine which can then be used for purchases in retail. 

88% of bottles and cans sold in Sweden are recycled through this scheme. Returpack are constantly simplifying and making the system more accessible for the consumer. To pay back the deposit in other ways than the traditional paper voucher is one of the areas of improvements. The digital transfer directly to the consumer’s bank account is an easy solution that also follows the digitalization trend in the society.

A machine-to-consumer payment system

Payer was chosen to develop the core engine, a machine-to-consumer, digital payout solution directly to the consumers’ bank account that was built using Payer’s modular API payments platform. The solution works in a combination of the machine, the cloud and a mobile app. The app is developed for both iOS and Android. The first-time registration and setup of the receiving bank account takes less than a minute to complete. The user scans a QR code after completing a session and the funds are shortly deposited into the bank account.

In the first roll-out phase are 57 machines, designed to receive bulk deposits. These ‘Pantamera Express’ machines received 90 million containers in 2020. 30% of users converted to the digital payout solution during the pilot phase. Returpack estimates that the conversion rate will increase quickly as the awareness of the solution is rising in the population.

– The Pantamera Express machines are an important piece in our development of the future deposit return scheme in Sweden. Here we had the opportunity to test a new digital solution at scale and we can now offer a safe and simple transfer of funds back to the consumer’s bank account, says Carita Carlsson, Product manager at Returpack.

 - Payer has been very receptive to our needs and we have in the project time felt confident that they would deliver a stable and secure solution for our digital breakthrough service, says Henric Oscarsson, Development Lead at Returpack.

– We are incredibly proud that we were trusted to develop the next generation digital payout solution for the Swedish deposit return scheme, a system that all Swedes have a relationship with and contribute to. We are looking forward to continuing working closely with the team at Returpack in the future, says Peder Berge, CEO and founder at Payer.

Read the technical case study here
 

For more information and requests for interviews, please contact: Stefan Backlund CMO, stefan.backlund@payer.eu

Payer is Swedish fintech startup that is pioneering digital B2B payments for large corporate customers on a pan-European and global basis. Payer simplifies payments between companies. Payer’s modular API payments platform for B2B e-commerce helps companies to create amazing payment experiences online, which creates sustainable relationships, increases their sales and greatly reduces costs.

Payer Financial Services AB (corporate identity number 556736-8724) is an authorised Swedish payment institution under the supervision of the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Finansinspektionen). Payer conducts payment services in accordance with the Swedish Payment Services Act (2010:751) and Directive (EU) 2015/2366 on payment services (PSD2) and can provide cross-border payment services within the EU/EEA. 


www.payer.eu