Page 37 - HW April 2022

B&Q launches marketplace, triples offering
Reverse vending
machines on the
increase
“Reverse vending” is another name for incentivised recycling.
Among the first to trial reverse vending machines was Boots in the UK, as far back as August 2019 and in Scotland at first.
Customers could return empty plastic, metal, and glass drink containers from 50ml up to 3 litres and, for each drink container deposited, received a voucher for 10 Boots Advantage Card points
with a maximum of 25 containers per transaction.
Following arch-rival Iceland, which was reportedly the first retailer to adopt the machines as part of its own bottle deposit scheme – and which celebrated recycling more than one million plastic bottles in August last year – Aldi too started in Scotland, allowing customers to return bottles and cans in exchange for a voucher to be redeemed against their shopping.
Customers are encouraged to return single-use PET plastic or glass bottles from 50ml up to three litres, and aluminium drinks cans to the reverse vending machine sited in a store car park.
For each item deposited, Aldi’s customers receive £0.10 in the form of a voucher, up to a maximum of £5.
Now Aldi has expanded its program, with plans to install 40 reverse vending machines capable of handling 25,000 plastic and glass bottles every week.
Expecting high uptake of the
service, up to 24,500 units weekly, Aldi reportedly is using the largest units available, which can handle glass, plastic, and steel cans, and will be situated in its store’s car parks.
All the above programs clearly had in mind Scotland’s deposit return scheme, which is due to launch in July 2022. Morrisons, Co-op and Sainsbury’s have also trialled reverse vending machines in a limited number of stores.
Closer to home, both Otago University and AUT in Auckland have been working with Frucor Suntory housing reverse vending machines that take recycling, crush it, and pay recyclers back with a discount voucher.
USG Boral becomes Knauf Gypsum
FOLLOWING ITS ACQUISITION by the Knauf Group, USG Boral Building Products is now known as Knauf Gypsum in Australia.
Announcing the rebranding, Tony Charnock, Managing Director of Knauf in Australia, took pains to reassure customers, suppliers and partners about the change.
“Now we are part of the Knauf Group, one of the world’s leading innovators
and manufacturers of modern building materials, we look forward to continuing the established relationships we have with our customers.
“The synergies between the two brands ensure the transition to the new name will be seamless and our customers will receive the same high-quality experience they have come to expect, with access to locally manufactured products that meet Australian standards.
“We have manufacturing facilities in Sydney, Melbourne [photo above] and
Brisbane, and will continue to supply plasterboard, compounds, cornice and associated products and systems to the Australian building industry through
a national distribution network of 40 company-owned trade and retail outlets. “I wish to reassure all of our existing
and future customers that, as part of the Knauf Group, we remain one of the best suppliers for the Australian construction industry.”
www.knaufapac.com
global eyes
TAKING A LEAF out Amazon’s book, B&Q in March announced the launch of a new online home improvement marketplace for third party sellers which has been integrated into its existing website www.diy.com and is also available through the B&Q app.
The new marketplace is about both expanding existing ranges and adding new categories, with products available for home delivery and click & collect options destined to arrive later.
Within six months, says B&Q, 100,000 extra home improvement products will be available to buy online from third party sellers, in addition to the 40,000 products currently sold by B&Q, more than tripling the range customers can choose from.
The marketplace brings with it more wallpaper, lighting, and power tools, as well as a range of small domestic appliances (a new category for B&Q) with more to come from brands including Osram, Black & Decker and Breville.
By way of underlining its move, B&Q
says very nearly half (48%) of online product searches in the UK and US now start on marketplace platforms, so it wants a slice of that action.
B&Q CEO Graham Bell adds: “Around 85% of our customers’ shopping journeys start online. Marketplaces are a rapidly growing retail phenomenon around the world and we’re excited by the potential this model brings in combination with the convenience of our fulfilment capabilities.”
In terms of said potential, the launch blurb adds that B&Q’s marketplace
also represents a scalable model that Kingfisher Group can roll out into marketplaces in other markets and with other banners.
Kingfisher partnered with industry- leading enterprise marketplace SaaS platform Mirakl, which has proven its worth having worked with over 300 leading enterprises that have adopted the marketplace model, including Decathlon, Joules, and H&M Home.
www.diy.com
MORE AT www.facebook.com/nzhardwarejournal
APRIL 2022 | NZHJ 35