How will a Reverse Vending Machine integrate with our POS, loyalty systems, and the national DRS IT platform?

Data, vouchers, APIs, and reporting flows that retail IT and finance teams need to see before sign‑off.

The question

How does a Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) actually connect into a retailer’s existing systems—POS, loyalty, and finance—and into the national DRS infrastructure, so that vouchers, deposits, and data flows all reconcile correctly across hundreds of stores?

The direct answer

Modern RVMs are not standalone “metal boxes”; they are edge devices in a wider data architecture. In a typical DRS‑ready implementation, each machine:

Connects to a cloud fleet portal (for Recyclever, this is RecyHub), which manages configuration, updates, telemetry, and API traffic.
Uses RecyHub APIs to request voucher codes from the retailer’s POS or promotions system, so that every deposit refund printed on the RVM is recognised and redeemable at the till.
Sends “session” data (container counts and a pseudonymous user ID) via RecyHub to the retailer’s loyalty platform, so points or benefits can be awarded without exposing personal data at the machine.
Interfaces, via RecyHub, with the national DRS IT platform operated by the scheme operator (in the UK, UK DMO: https://dmouk.com/), to obtain the official container database, push return statistics, and support settlement and reconciliation.

The result is a controlled data flow from “container inserted” at store level to “deposit reconciled” at the scheme operator and in the retailer’s P&L.

RVM ↔ RecyHub ↔ POS: how deposit vouchers are issued

Local machine logic and cloud orchestration

Each RVM runs its own local software to:

Identify and count containers.
Calculate the value of the refund for that session (for example 12 containers × £0.20 = £2.40).
Initiate a “voucher request” to the RecyHub cloud portal.

RecyHub acts as the orchestration layer for the entire fleet:

It receives the voucher request (store ID, machine ID, amount, timestamp, etc.).
It exposes APIs for the retailer’s POS or promotion engine to generate unique voucher codes.
It returns the code and formatting parameters back to the RVM for printing and on‑screen display.

This design keeps the machine “thin” from a business‑logic perspective and allows voucher and refund rules to be governed centrally by the retailer and, where required, by the DRS operator.

Example: issuing a £1.20 RVM voucher via POS API

A typical flow in a UK‑style DRS with a 20p deposit might look like this:

A customer returns 12 eligible containers to an RVM.
The machine validates each container against the current DRS data and increments the session count to 12.
The RVM calculates a total refund of £2.40 and sends a voucher request to RecyHub (including machine/store context and the calculated amount).
RecyHub calls the retailer’s POS API to request a voucher code for £2.40, following the retailer’s existing rules on vouchers and settlements.
The POS system generates a unique code, records it in its own database, and returns it to RecyHub.
RecyHub passes the validated code down to the RVM.
The RVM prints the voucher (and optionally shows the code on the screen), along with any required DRS or legal wording.

For IT and finance teams, the critical point is that the voucher lifecycle—creation, redemption, expiry, and accounting—is managed within existing POS or promotions systems, with RecyHub acting as a controlled gateway rather than a parallel, shadow system.

Operating during connectivity interruptions: pre‑banked vouchers

An RVM estate must remain usable even when connectivity is temporarily lost. To manage this, an RVM can hold a local “bank” of pre‑authorised vouchers:

RecyHub obtains from the POS system a batch of voucher codes pre‑grouped by value (for example, 10 vouchers worth £0.20, 10 worth £0.40, 10 worth £0.60, and so on).
These codes are securely cached on the RVM.
If connectivity drops, the RVM can continue issuing vouchers by consuming from this local bank for as long as the pre‑loaded codes last.
When connectivity is restored, the RVM reconciles its issued vouchers with RecyHub, and RecyHub reconciles with the POS, replenishing the bank as required.

From an IT governance perspective, this ensures resilience without sacrificing traceability—every voucher is still issued out of, and settled into, the retailer’s core systems; the RVM simply has a controlled buffer.

RVM ↔ RecyHub ↔ loyalty platform: how container returns feed rewards

Capturing session data at the machine

At the end of a return session, the RVM knows:

The number of accepted containers in that session (for example 10).
The fact that the session has ended (user has pressed “finish”, timeout expired, or voucher printed).

If loyalty incentives are in place, the machine can then prompt the user to identify themselves, for example:

Scan a loyalty card barcode or QR code.
Present an NFC loyalty card or app.

At this point, the RVM still only sees:

A numeric container count (for example 10).
A pseudonymous loyalty identifier (for example 123456789).

The machine does not need to know any personal information about the user.

Passing data to RecyHub and on to the loyalty stack

The data flow is:

The RVM creates a minimal payload: {store, machine, timestamp, containers=10, loyaltyID=123456789}.
This payload is sent to RecyHub over a secure connection.
RecyHub exposes an API to the retailer’s loyalty platform and pushes the payload.
The loyalty platform applies its own business logic:
- Convert “10 containers” into points, tiers, or offers.
- Trigger notifications in the retailer’s app, SMS, or email.
- Aggregate behaviour for campaign analytics.

From a privacy and security standpoint, this keeps personal data and customer profiles exclusively inside the retailer’s existing loyalty infrastructure. The RVM and RecyHub only handle pseudonymous identifiers and counts.

This architecture works:

As an overlay on top of a formal DRS (loyalty used as an additional incentive on top of statutory deposits).
Or in non‑DRS markets, where loyalty benefits are the primary incentive to return containers.

RVM ↔ DRS operator: databases, authorisation, and reconciliation

In a regulated DRS, the scheme operator’s IT platform becomes the source of truth for:

Which containers are in scope.
Which return points are authorised.
How return volumes and deposits are reconciled and settled.

In the UK, that role will be performed by the UK Deposit Management Organisation (UK DMO) across England, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Container database distribution

Typically, the scheme operator:

Maintains a central database of in‑scope drinks containers, with barcodes and other attributes.
Exposes this database, or updates to it, to all accredited RVM suppliers via secure interfaces.

In a Recyclever architecture:

RecyHub connects to the DRS operator’s data interface and receives updates (daily, weekly, or as defined by the scheme).
RecyHub then distributes these updates to each RVM in the fleet.
Each RVM uses the latest dataset to validate containers locally (barcode plus additional checks such as weight, material and dimensions).

This ensures that the validation logic at the edge reflects the current regulatory scope without requiring manual intervention at store level.

Machine authorisation and return point registration

The scheme operator will also:

Define the process to authorise each RVM (and each store) as an official return point.
Issue identifiers and credentials that link machine events to a registered return point in the central system.

From the retailer’s perspective, this means each RVM is not just a device on the LAN; it is a registered node in the national DRS network, and its data has legal and financial implications.

Event data and behavioural statistics

DRS operators increasingly require:

Aggregated statistics on returns to monitor performance, participation and fraud.
Granular event data to support audits and investigations when needed.

RecyHub can:

Collate machine‑level events (containers counted, sessions, states, errors) across the fleet.
Provide roll‑up reports for the retailer’s own analytics and operational dashboards.
Push scheme‑relevant datasets to the operator’s platform in the formats they specify.

This reduces the need for bespoke, store‑by‑store integrations into the DRS platform.

Bag sealing, counting centres, and end‑to‑end reconciliation

A critical part of DRS integrity is reconciling:

Containers and deposits recorded at the RVM.
Physical material received and counted at central counting and sorting centres.

A typical process is:

The DRS operator (or their logistics partner) issues numbered security seals for collection bags.
When store staff empty an RVM, they attach a seal to each bag and register that seal in the RVM interface (or via handheld).
At that moment, the RVM (and RecyHub) know:
- Which bag ID is associated with which store and machine.
- How many containers and what total weight were in that bag at point of sealing.
At the counting centre, bags are scanned, opened and re‑weighed, and containers may be recounted by automated systems.
The operator’s IT platform compares:
- RVM‑reported totals (via RecyHub and other supplier portals).
- Counting‑centre records.
Any discrepancies beyond defined tolerances trigger investigation workflows.

For finance and audit teams, this closed loop—from container insertion through voucher issuance, bag sealing, counting, and settlement—is what underpins confidence in DRS cashflows and reporting.

Data, finance, and IT implications for retailers

For retail IT, finance and property teams, the key implications of this integration model are:

Single integration points:
You do not integrate every RVM directly into POS, loyalty and DRS systems; you integrate once with RecyHub, which standardises the data model for the fleet.
Reuse of existing systems:
Voucher issuance, settlement, and loyalty logic remain in the existing POS and CRM stacks; the RVMs plug into these rather than duplicating functionality.
Resilience by design:
Pre‑banked vouchers and store‑level caching mean RVMs can continue operating across short‑term connectivity issues without losing traceability.
Regulatory alignment:
The link between RVMs, RecyHub and the DRS operator (such as UK DMO) ensures that container validation, authorised return points and reconciliation follow the official scheme design.