Page 11 - Sparklo PR Report - May 2025

Free shopping in UAE: Recycle plastic bottles and earn rewards

“We are making recycling intuitive and rewarding. You don’t need to scan anything or prepare the item.
The machine handles it, all you do is recycle,” added Kaplevich

Building habits

Sparklo’s approach, he explained, is grounded in behavioural science. “Instead of penalising consumers

or relying on refunds, it provides positive, immediate reinforcement. “Most deposit return systems are
punitive, you pay first, then get it back. We flipped that model. At Sparklo, we simply reward people for

doing the right thing and it is working,” added Kaplevich.

With over 280 machines across the UAE, including locations like malls, ADNOC fuel stations, LuLu

Hypermarkets, and residential buildings, Sparklo now collects more than 250,000 bottles and cans a day.
More than 23 million items were recycled in Abu Dhabi alone in 2024, avoiding over 3.5 million kg of CO₂

emissions.

From waste to awareness

Beyond rewards, the machines act as powerful education tools. Each Sparklomat displays real-time

recycling data and environmental facts, helping users understand the broader impact of their actions.

Kaplevich noted: “When someone sees a friend earn points or reads that their bottle just helped avoid
carbon emissions, it clicks. That awareness leads to repeat behaviour, and that builds a habit.”

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