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The Recycling Lottery – cooperation with the Norwegian Red Cross

The Recycling Lottery is an important part of the Olav Thon Group’s social responsibility. The lottery has become one of the Red Cross’s most important sources of income, which as of November 2023 has received NOK 737,4 million in funding through the lottery.

En hånd strekker seg mot pantemaskinen for å pante en flaske

The Recycling Lottery inspires more people to recycle 

To motivate more people to use the recycling return scheme, the Olav Thon Group came up with the idea of a recycling lottery where empty bottles make up the stake in the lottery. The lottery was launched in 2008 and has since grown steadily. The Recycling Lottery is now present all over the country in all the largest grocery chains. 

39% of the population over the age of 18 use the lottery when they recycle. Approximately 12% of all recycling goes through the lottery. 

Safe lottery

There has not been a single report of negative gambling behaviour in connection with the Recycling Lottery.

Who owns the Recycling Lottery? 

The operating company Norsk Pantelotteri AS was established in 2008. The Red Cross owns 40% and the Olav Thon Group owns 60% of the company. 

 

Permanent source of income for the Norwegian Red Cross 

Today, you can find the Recycling Lottery in grocery stores all over the country. Through the lottery, people help support the Red Cross’s important humanitarian work.

50% of the funds go to the local Red Cross association where the reverse vending machine is located. This translates into essential free funding on a local level, which provides hundreds of Red Cross teams with a unique opportunity for planning and budgeting. 

How much of the Recycling Lottery’s revenue goes to the Red Cross?

The Red Cross receives 34.5% of the gross revenue, which corresponds to 53.08% of the revenue after deduction of the profits. The rest goes to winnings, as well as the operation and marketing of the lottery. This is in line with the lotteries act. 

  • 34.5% of gross revenue goes to the Red Cross.
  • 35% of the revenue goes back to those who bring their bottles and cans in the form of winnings.
  • 9.75% goes to the stores for managing the reverse vending machines and the lottery.
  • 20.75% goes to operations, marketing and investments in the operating company Norsk Pantelotteri AS.

Any surplus is managed by the Red Cross and the Olav Thon Group. Read more at pantelotteriet.no.