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Earning Avios by recycling cans at Tesco Recycling Centres

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Reader Paul dropped me a line to outline the success he was having earning Avios points by using Tesco Recycling Centres which are based at around 100 stores across the country.

You can feed your empty drink cans into them, as well as jars and bottles.  Tesco gives you 1 Clubcard point for every 2 aluminium cans.  You do not earn anything for any other products.

As well as his own supply, Paul is recycling cans thrown out by his local bowling club, which helps to boost his balance further.

There is no official list of which stores have a recycling centre.  This old article (external link) lists around 100 but does not claim to be comprehensive.  It is worth looking out for it at your nearest Extra store, as that is the most common place to find them.

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How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (April 2024)

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Category

Tesco Clubcard

Comments (23)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Julie says:
    17 Feb17 February 06:08

    I tried this for a while but the machine would never register my club card which meant I then had to go to customer services and get them to put the points on my card with no real proof of how many cans you had recycled, I even tried taking a photo of the screen but it always seemed to be in direct sunlight. I wonder have they now cured this problem?

  • Tim M says:
    17 Feb17 February 06:08

    I looked for these facilities about 12 months ago and was told by CS that they had been phased out in most locations due to abuse (ie cutting cans in half to double points) The one in my nearest Extra, was removed a couple of years ago I believe. Good find if you can find one near you though.

  • ee says:
    17 Feb17 February 06:50

    There are also mini models outside a small number of express stores. There is one at the Chelmsford Broomfield Road express and if I recall one at a petrol station express in eastleigh. These give 1 point for 2 plastic bottles and possibly for cans too.

  • Matt says:
    17 Feb17 February 07:20

    I think I remember reading a story a few years back about a young couple who spent their evenings picking up drink cans from around their flat and taking them in for recycling, then using the ensuing several million CC points to book themselves free flights to NZ or somewhere. Smart thinking, but at 1 point per 2 cans you’d need several hundred thousand to get anything interesting…

  • erico1875 says:
    17 Feb17 February 07:21

    There are 2 in the Edinburgh area. South Queensferry and Lasswade.
    I probably do about 2500 cans a year. Friends and family collect for me too.
    It is a mind numbing job.loading them 1 at a time though.
    I have also heard of people cutting them in half to double the points. I am not that desperate.
    BTW Pepsi, 7 up and Sprite are not alluminium, so you dont get points for these.

  • Britbronco22 says:
    17 Feb17 February 08:58

    I’ve tried a coupe of times, the machine wouldn’t register the club card either time, so I decided it is not worth the effort.

  • olybeast says:
    17 Feb17 February 10:48

    Baugley Tesco in Manchester has one. I think I did 8 cans one day then got bored. I don’t really buy canned drinks anyway

  • Matthew says:
    17 Feb17 February 11:31

    How long does it take to put a can in..?

    If I could get hold of hundreds of cans and bottles, maybe it could be worth it..?

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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