Heineken Turns Empty Bottles and Cans into Opportunities to be Rewarded

Heineken is thrilled to announce the launch of its first web application aimed at ensuring that their bottles and cans end up in the right bins. Heineken believes that proper disposal of their bottles and cans will help that the festivals sponsored by Heineken and the good times we all enjoy stay clean. TrashAndWin.com, which will be live on the 4th of April 2024, is an innovative platform that encourages people to participate in this endeavour, by giving them tangible exciting rewards.  

The platform and its implementation is supported by Ecovidrio and Ecoembes, who are focused on the recycling and environmental management of packaging waste, such as glass bottles and metal beer cans. Ecovidrio and Ecoembes play crucial roles in Spain's commitment to promote recycling, reduce waste, and achieve sustainability goals. They  collaborate with governmental agencies, businesses, and the public to create a circular economy where resources are reused and recycled efficiently. 

TrashAndWin.com builds on the success of a similar activity undertaken by Heineken Spain in 2023 christened 'Trash Lottery', where physical smart bins were installed at popular music festivals like Monegros and Trui Son Fusteret. These bins treated every piece of litter as a lottery ticket, giving festival goers a chance to win simply by  bringing the trash generated at the festival to the bin installation and disposing of it responsibly. The Trash Lottery initiative by Heineken in 2023, contributed to the collection of 2 tons of glasses, caps, bottles, and plastic items of which the aim is that it will be put into new use. 

The platform uses an AI trained on trash recycling bins and containers in Spain to enable the phone’s camera to recognise them, making sure that the participant has brought the bottles and cans to the right place. The platform also recognises and treats every piece of Heineken trash as a raffle ticket. Individuals can participate in the raffle simply by  dropping their litter into the correct recycling bins or containers, as an AR filter on TrashAndWin.com instantly announces the results and declares what they have won. The prizes that the participants can win are also determined by processing the location data of the phone and the recycling bin, ensuring that the rewards can be redeemed in the same region.  

Ideated by the creative agency LePub and its innovation and tech hub LeGarage, the platform will be first launched in Zaragoza, Spain in collaboration with The Champions Burger event hosted in the city from the 4th to the 14th of April. Participants stand to win passes to Spain’s premier music festivals, UEFA Champions League tickets, dining  experiences at the city’s top restaurants, and other prizes in the weeks leading up to the event.  

"We're excited to introduce 'Trash & Win', a one-of-a-kind initiative that merges fun with proper waste management," said Lucia Lopez-Rua Paramo, marketing director, Heineken Spain. "By simply doing their part in keeping their city  tidy, participants don’t just win prizes but also make sure that good times stay responsible, all while trying to win  access to more good times. With each contribution, participants are not only enhancing their event experience but  also becoming an integral part of Heineken's commitment to creating memorable moments responsibly”.

'Trash & Win' is set to debut alongside major events throughout Spain, promising an elevated and immersive  experience for those in the cities hosting them. Apart from The Champions Burgers events, Trash&Win will also engage people around music festivals like Festival de les Arts, Arenal Sound, and FIB Benicàssim, seamlessly  blending entertainment with the contribution to keeping event venues and cities clean. 

In the future, HEINEKEN has the ambition to roll out the 'Trash & Win' platform in more markets, encouraging  consumers to claim rewards simply by disposing of Heineken bottles and cans responsibly. The platform embodies Heineken's dedication to fostering events in a manner that resonates with diverse audiences, reinforcing the brand's  position and perception as a pioneer in innovation and meaningfulness.