At the heart of the experience is the Droppie mobile app, which connects the physical recycling drop-off with a digital journey. A strong focus on enhancing the customer experience by linking recycling with digital tools. The payout options available via the Droppie app include direct transfer through Tikkie, a Dutch payment platform, or the option to donate deposits to a good cause.

Every item handed in is tracked and rewarded through the app. Users receive payouts via Tikkie, and can donate their earnings to NGOs, or local homeless shelters, and participate in gamified challenges that encourage better recycling habits. Stef says: “At Droppie, we really believe in bringing value back to the consumer. The money you make is not only for yourself or your family, it can also be for something good, such as an NGO. That way, we incentivize our users even more with not only a monetary incentive, but also a sense of gamification”.

TOMRA & Droppie

In Droppie’s flagship store in Utrecht, they offer two TOMRA reverse vending machines to process bottles and cans: a TOMRA R2 and a T70 Single model. The machines, according to Stef, were chosen for “their ability to handle both bulk returns and those dropping off just a few items”. The uptime of these machines are remarkably high - over 95% - thanks to TOMRA’s service team, which ensures systems are quickly supported if issues arise. The machines are also seamlessly connected to the Droppie app via TOMRA’s API, which took only a few days to integrate.

For Christian Shepperd Hovde, New Markets Manager at TOMRA Collection, Droppie is a model for how Deposit return systems (DRS) can evolve.

He continues: “Consumers today expect flexibility. With Droppie, users can get their refund in an app, donate it, or use it for discounts. This is how recycling should feel in 2025.” Christian emphasized that Droppie demonstrates a future-forward way of using digitalization and connectivity to improve recycling.

“This is a really nice example of digitalizing the user experience and enhancing the flexibility of payout options. It increases how TOMRA can engage consumers to use our machines more actively, while offering more flexible payment options.”

Security and reliability are central to this system. “The QR code on the screen changes every 20 seconds, which prevents misuse. We have a fully trusted, cloud-based IoT system protecting every transaction. Customers can receive money in their app, credit card, or bank account. That’s what our APIs enable, and that’s what attracts customers to TOMRA.”