Reusable Return Machine at the Hamburg Port Anniversary 2025

The Change(K)now! project partner Netzwerk Green Events tested a reusable return machine for cups at the Hamburg Port Anniversary 2025, with around 1.2 million visitors over a weekend along the Elbe river.

System tested:

1 beer stand with reusable cup distribution and return machine. Approx. 1,500 cups, €1 deposit, cash refund. Cups were collected by the stand’s staff and cleaned on site.

Where:

The machine was installed in the bergmanngruppe area, between the Fish Market and the Landungsbrücken.

Aim:

To simplify cup returns and relieve staff. The pilot also sought to test whether scaling the system to other areas of the festival and to food containers would be advisable in the future.

Results:

• 98,1% return rate achieved
• 1,300 cups successfully returned

Programme Manual Online

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