For decades, The Beer Store has led the way in environmental stewardship, operating one of the most effective deposit-return systems in North America. This initiative has significantly reduced waste, conserved resources, and created a cleaner environment by ensuring beverage containers are reused and recycled at an impressive rate.
Unlike traditional curbside recycling programs, which often result in contamination and lower-quality materials, The Beer Store’s system guarantees that bottles and cans are collected, sorted, and efficiently returned, maximizing their reuse and recycling potential.
However, while we fully support the concept of a deposit-return system, sustainability should be open and accessible—not controlled by a select few. The Beer Store’s operations are run by large, foreign-owned brewing companies that have financially benefited from controlling Ontario’s beer retail landscape. Sustainability should be an industry-wide effort, accessible to businesses of all sizes.
Measurable Environmental Impact
The Beer Store’s deposit-return program has delivered outstanding sustainability results, including:
97% of refillable beer bottles are returned and reused up to 15 times before being fully recycled.
80% of aluminum cans are recovered, significantly reducing the need for new raw materials.
More than 1.5 billion beer containers are diverted from landfills annually.
The program has prevented the equivalent of over 70,000 cars’ worth of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
These figures demonstrate the power of an effective deposit-return system in reducing environmental impact. This model should inspire broader adoption across industries, creating a system that benefits communities, businesses, and the environment alike.
The Saponetti Connection: Supporting Sustainability with Local Solutions
At Saponetti, we believe in the power of reuse over disposal—a true example of circular economy in action. Our refillable model follows the same principles that make The Beer Store’s deposit system so successful: keeping packaging in circulation rather than in landfills. By embracing closed-loop systems, businesses and consumers alike contribute to a greener future.
Just as The Beer Store has normalized returning bottles, Saponetti is working to shift consumer habits toward refillable, waste-free solutions for everyday household products. However, unlike The Beer Store’s structure, Saponetti’s refill model is built on accessibility, local sourcing, and community-driven sustainability. We believe a truly effective circular economy is only possible when it is kept local—reducing reliance on global supply chains, avoiding tariffs, and lowering transportation-related emissions.
Expanding Refill Initiatives: Local Retail Partnerships with Independent Grocers and Circulr
As part of our commitment to sustainability and reducing single-use packaging, Saponetti has partnered with local independent grocery stores, Fiesta Farms and The Sweet Potato, to offer our soaps in refundable mason jars. This initiative allows customers to purchase our products in reusable containers, which they can return for a refund, promoting a circular economy and minimizing waste.
Fiesta Farms
Located in Toronto, Fiesta Farms is the city's largest independently owned grocery store, known for its dedication to local and sustainable products. By incorporating Saponetti's refillable soaps into their offerings, Fiesta Farms provides customers with eco-friendly options that align with their values of supporting local businesses and environmental stewardship.
The Sweet Potato
Similarly, The Sweet Potato is a beloved independent grocery store that emphasizes organic and natural products. Their collaboration with Saponetti to offer soaps in refundable mason jars reflects their commitment to reducing environmental impact and providing sustainable choices to their customers.
Circulr: Driving Local Reusable Packaging Solutions
Circulr is an innovative company working with independent grocery stores across the region, including Fiesta Farms, to facilitate reusable packaging solutions. Their mission is to create a local reuse infrastructure that allows consumers to return packaging at participating grocers, helping businesses reduce waste while making sustainability more accessible.
Through their collection, sanitation, and redistribution services, Circulr provides an easy way for brands and retailers to transition away from single-use packaging. Their growing network of partners ensures that more businesses can integrate zero-waste practices without taking on the logistical burden alone.
As Circulr operated its reusable packaging platform, they identified a gap in the market for automating the collection process. Many stores interested in joining Circulr’s returnable packaging model hesitated due to the added responsibility of managing returns. To address this gap, Circulr developed its own Reverse Vending Machines (RVM), a cost-effective, Canadian-made machine designed specifically for reusable packaging. This innovation makes it easier for retailers to participate in the reuse system without requiring staff to manually process returns. Circulr is working with independent retailers to normalize reuse and refill systems today, laying the foundation for broader adoption in the future.
Opportunities for Expansion Without Exclusivity
With such a strong foundation in place, there is great potential to extend similar sustainability efforts to other packaging types. Many industries, including those in non-alcoholic beverages, household products, and personal care, can learn from The Beer Store’s success and consider how deposit-return systems could be applied more broadly.
However, to truly maximize sustainability, these systems must be rooted in local economies. We need policies that support local industries, encourage diverse participation, and reduce dependence on global supply chains. The Beer Store’s model has demonstrated how effective deposit-return programs can be, but it has also historically limited market access for smaller breweries, making it harder for them to compete fairly. Ensuring sustainability efforts remain open to all businesses, including local producers, will create a stronger and more resilient circular economy.
At Saponetti, we are already proving that this local-first circular economy model can work beyond beverages. Our refill and reuse system for household and personal care products eliminates unnecessary packaging waste while maintaining high-quality, sustainable consumption choices. The success of The Beer Store’s deposit system should not be an argument for maintaining exclusivity but rather a call to expand similar programs in a way that benefits everyone, starting at the community level.
How Consumers Can Support a Local Circular Economy
Consumers play a crucial role in driving sustainable change, and small, everyday choices—like returning empty containers and opting for refillable products—have a lasting impact. Repurposing and refilling single-use containers, extends their lifecycle and keeps unnecessary waste out of landfills.
By supporting businesses that prioritize reusable packaging models, such as Saponetti, consumers actively contribute to reducing plastic waste and promoting a more circular economy. Choosing refillable solutions and advocating for deposit-return systems at a regional level ensures that sustainability remains a shared priority, making reuse the norm rather than the exception.
A Future of Responsible Consumption
The Beer Store’s long-standing commitment to sustainability is a testament to what can be achieved when businesses, consumers, and industries work together. However, the next step should be ensuring that these successful sustainability programs remain local and accessible, avoiding reliance on global supply chains.
We believe that reuse and refill models should be the norm across industries, starting within our own communities. By learning from The Beer Store’s environmental success but keeping it local and scalable, we can move toward a future where sustainable packaging solutions are the standard, not the exception.
Until next time,
xo Nikki
RESOURCES:
For more information on The Beer Store’s sustainability initiatives and deposit-return programs, explore the following resources:
The Beer Store’s Environmental Stewardship Reports:
Ontario Deposit Return Program (ODRP):
Environmental Impact of Reusable Packaging:
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