GRIN and Nets collaborate on a unique deposit machine for takeaway packaging

Every year, more than 120,000 tonnes of plastic packaging waste are generated in Norway alone, with a large proportion ending up as residual waste instead of being reused. To help address this challenge, GRIN has developed an AI-powered deposit return machine that makes it easy and seamless to reuse takeaway packaging.

"Overconsumption and littering are among the biggest challenges of our time. We believe that deposit schemes are the most effective way to make products truly circular. Our ambition was therefore to develop a solution that is easy to use and create a system that makes it possible to introduce deposit schemes for almost anything," says Lars-Martin Berglund, CEO of GRIN.

How the solution works

The customer purchases food or beverages from a restaurant or café and pays a deposit for the reusable packaging.

Once they have finished their meal, they return the packaging to the deposit return machine, where artificial intelligence instantly identifies the type of packaging being returned.

The customer taps their payment card on the terminal and receives the deposit directly back into their bank account—without having to download an app or register an account.

GRIN's deposit solution enters the market at a time when increasingly ambitious EU legislation is accelerating the transition towards reusable packaging. The new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), for example, requires ready-to-eat food to be offered in reusable packaging by 2028, while all packaging must be recyclable by 2030. The solution also aligns closely with the Norwegian Government's ambition to reduce single-use packaging by 50 percent as early as 2026.

A Technical Challenge That Required Expert Support

Today, GRIN's deposit return machines are fully operational across all 17 dining facilities operated by the Student Welfare Organisation of Oslo and Akershus (SiO), in the cafeterias of Norway's new Government Quarter, and at the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI). Here, thousands of users can enjoy a better lunch experience, return their food packaging, and receive their deposit instantly—without having to navigate complicated apps.

However, ensuring that deposits could be refunded in a simple and secure way presented a significant technical challenge. To solve it, GRIN turned to Nets, part of Nexi Group, Europe's leading PayTech provider.

"GRIN needed a flexible payment solution with user-friendly payment terminals. There are already plenty of apps out there, so for this to work smoothly in everyday life, users needed to be able to simply tap their card or phone and receive their deposit directly back into their account," says Cecilie Kjær, Key Account Manager at Nets.

Behind the scenes, considerable effort went into ensuring that the payment solution was both fully compliant with industry regulations and secure to use.

"International card schemes were originally designed for money to flow out of an account, not into one. Card schemes such as Visa and Mastercard typically require a purchase to have been made before funds can be refunded to a card. To overcome this challenge and develop an approved solution that met GRIN's specific needs, we worked closely with our fraud, compliance and card scheme teams in-house," says Cecilie Kjær.

Positive Feedback

With more than two million annual visits to SiO's dining facilities, GRIN's deposit return machines are helping to significantly reduce plastic consumption and waste—good news for the environment. User feedback has also been overwhelmingly positive, as customers no longer have to feel guilty about choosing takeaway packaging.

"One of the cafeterias in the new Government Quarter previously disposed of around 90,000 takeaway food containers every year, amounting to approximately five to ten tonnes of waste. At the time, they emptied the bins once a day. Today, they only need to empty them every other week," says Daniel Millet, CTO of GRIN.

He goes on to explain that the machines simply need to be connected to a power source, after which businesses can begin offering reusable packaging with a deposit scheme as early as the following day.

"The machines make the transition from single-use to reusable packaging incredibly simple. There has been tremendous interest in the solution, and the Norwegian market has embraced it wholeheartedly," he says.

Two Like-Minded Companies Coming Together

When developing the deposit return machines, it was important for GRIN to find a payment partner that shared its passion for innovation and had the ability to develop creative solutions to complex challenges.

"Nets has been extremely proactive and solution-oriented, and they have a genuine ability to think differently. Together, we've created a truly unique solution for the Norwegian market that performs exceptionally well. I feel that Nets is just as proud of the solution as we are, and we've shared a real sense of achievement throughout the implementation. Simply put, their product combined with ours has been a great success," says Lars-Martin Berglund.

Cecilie Kjær returns the compliment, explaining that the collaboration has been highly rewarding, giving Nets the opportunity to work alongside an exciting technology start-up with a strong focus on innovation and sustainability—values that closely align with those of Nets.

"Although we are Europe's largest payment provider, we also have a strong local presence and the ability to work closely with GRIN, providing personal support without them having to deal with chatbots or lengthy onboarding processes. I believe that has given GRIN real peace of mind. We've always been there whenever they needed us and have gone the extra mile to make this solution a reality," she says.

The solution reflects Nets' ongoing commitment to creating long-term, sustainable impact. Rossella Cardone, Group Head of ESG & Sustainability at Nexi, also praises the project:

"Together with GRIN, Nets is promoting a circular economy by making deposit schemes easy to use through instant and reliable refunds. The easier it is for users to get their money back, the more likely they are to use the solution and make sustainable choices. This helps make circularity a natural part of everyday life—not just something people are aware of or have good intentions about. In doing so, we can contribute to greater reuse and plastic recycling while reducing residual waste and the need to extract new natural resources."

The Beginning of Something Bigger

With a return rate of as much as 99 percent and highly satisfied users, GRIN's solution has already proven to be a tremendous success. And this is only the beginning. The results achieved so far clearly demonstrate the potential GRIN has at scale. If this growth continues, the company has the potential to become a key player in smart reuse solutions—not only in Norway, but internationally.

"Reuse has never been easier than it is today. The solution not only delivers significant environmental benefits but also provides a commercially attractive model for businesses using takeaway packaging. The next step is to bring more businesses on board in the transition from single-use to reusable packaging. I believe GRIN and Nets have set the industry standard for how businesses can successfully move from a throwaway culture to a circular reuse model," concludes Lars-Martin Berglund.

Nexi has once again been recognised by TIME Magazine as one of the world's most sustainable companies. The company is ranked 43rd globally among more than 5,000 evaluated organisations, reflecting its long-term commitment to creating meaningful and sustainable impact.