Pant Refunds in Denmark and other parts of Europe (Recycling)

[odin_dax]

It just occurred to me, I don't know why until now, that there might be some money in recycling cans and bottles not labeled with "Pant" A, B or C symbols by printing barcodes. Many people I know go to the German border town to buy cheap beers and sodas, for example, but these German products don't have the "Pant" seals or refunds. Granted, I don't think there's enough of a refund to live off of, but refunds would make a difference. Example, three cases of beer can be bought in Germany for 300 DKK. Each can (Pant A) is worth 1 DKK. There's a huge savings by going to Germany, but the savings per person is offset by the cost of getting there. Still, 1 DKK per can x 3 cases = 72 DKK. It isn't that much, but why waste money? Further, why not print "Pant C" labels (worth 3 DKK each) and make triple?! I've seen these recycling machines in Amsterdam, but not anywhere else (that I can recall).

My question is, these recycling machines have some kind of laser reader, so is it possible to scan barcodes (sometimes referred to as labels in this post, sorry) onto the computer or make them myself, print them, cut them out and paste them onto the cans, bottles, etc?

I'd have to do this at a place I don't normally go to because many places have cameras, but they're not actively monitored... or just get someone else to do it.

[odin_dax]

If I wanted to get adventurous, once recycling is done, you press a button to print a receipt and take it to any cashier. Obviously, this would have to be done as quickly as possible, but what if there was a big enough window to go home and copy the receipt? I don't know if the barcode coding can read duplicates or if the printer just sets the right money amount. The major drawback is getting the right stock of paper, and I have no idea how to get that in Denmark, but otherwise I think I could do it at least once... cash in once and buy groceries once.

Hmm, wheels are turning...

[Acid44]

If I wanted to get adventurous, once recycling is done, you press a button to print a receipt and take it to any cashier. Obviously, this would have to be done as quickly as possible, but what if there was a big enough window to go home and copy the receipt? I don't know if the barcode coding can read duplicates or if the printer just sets the right money amount. The major drawback is getting the right stock of paper, and I have no idea how to get that in Denmark, but otherwise I think I could do it at least once... cash in once and buy groceries once.

Hmm, wheels are turning...

i say just try it and see how it goes, and as for getting the right paper, maybe see if you can just pull the roll out of the register when no-one's got an eye on you?

[Micro]

I have tought about barcoding the "pant" system, one would get 0.15 eur or a can.
There is no real monetary gain here, but you could get one can for "free" if you barcoded them all.

[odin_dax]

I have tought about barcoding the "pant" system, one would get 0.15 eur or a can.
There is no real monetary gain here, but you could get one can for "free" if you barcoded them all.

Exactly. The only point of doing it was getting refunds from over-the-border shopping containers that didn't have it, or getting more money out of it.

[XnbX]

I don't know about other country's but over here you can also return one of those crates like this --> http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afbeelding:Bierkratjes.JPG , you will get more money for them.
I also heard about some kids getting in to a store and "returning" some bottles they took of the shelf so they gave the store their own full bottles back, but i don't know if thats gonna work it might as well be :bsflag: :trink26:

[Micro]

I also heard about some kids getting in to a store and "returning" some bottles they took of the shelf so they gave the store their own full bottles back, but i don't know if thats gonna work it might as well be

It used to work, but nowdays the machines also weight the bottle/can to make sure it is empty. Some stores go the easy way and place the machines in the hall way before the main store area with the merch.

But in stores that had it inside, people used to do it.

But one could empty the bottles/cans in the store and the n return them.