Deposits back with a single tap.
Circlio makes the deposit process for reusable cups and containers fast and seamless at events, arenas and food venues. After use, the customer drops the cup into a return station and the deposit is refunded. No app, no account, no cash and no queues.
The problem was never the cup. The problem is time.
Reuse has existed in Europe for more than a decade and stayed niche for one reason: too many steps. Every extra step at the till or at return loses most people.
Traditional deposit systems Slow
- Download an app, create an account, register a card
- Coins, hoppers and cash handling
- Long queues to get the deposit back
- No visibility into where items go missing
- ESG reports built by hand in Excel
Circlio In seconds
- Your payment method is your identity – just tap
- The deposit goes straight back to the customer's account
- Self-service return stations, several items at once
- Every item is traceable throughout its lifecycle
- Real-time ESG metrics and reports
Four steps. Zero wasted time.
Every reusable item carries a unique RFID tag. Circlio Core recognises each item, checks its status and routes the money to the right place automatically.
Issue
The vendor serves the drink or food in a reusable item. The item is activated at the moment of sale.
Return
The customer drops one or more items into a return station. The station reads each item's ID instantly.
Validation
Circlio Core checks that the item is active and not yet returned, then calculates the refund. Double refunds are ruled out.
Money to account
The customer taps their payment method and the deposit is credited back to their account. Done!
Circlio Refund
The customer pays the deposit at the till as usual. At the return station they tap their payment method and the deposit is paid straight back to that account. Works at any point of sale, with no changes to the existing till system.
Circlio Hold
At the till, the deposit amount is only reserved on the card. When the items are returned, the hold is released in full or for the items returned. The customer never even feels charged.
Faster service. Less loss. Measurable impact.
Circlio is more than a return machine. It's a complete service that takes the deposit process off your staff's shoulders and gives you data to base decisions on.
Deposit returns without queues
Nobody behind the bar counts coins anymore. Self-service return stations take several items at once and the money goes back to the card automatically. Your staff sell, instead of handing back deposits.
Cash-free
Card refunds remove all the hassle and risk of handling cash.
Control over every item
Every item's lifecycle is visible: in stock, active, returned, in the wash. See use counts, wash cycles, return rate and loss.
Real-time ESG
Avoided single-use packaging, reuse counts and impact, ready as a report.
The screen as a media channel
The return station screen shows sponsors, campaigns, schedules or city info. A new revenue stream.
A service, not a device
Hardware, software, maintenance, updates and support are all included. You don't buy a machine.
We don't build deposit machines.
We don't build cup machines.
We build reuse infrastructure.
The machine is just one component. Customers don't buy a machine from us. They buy the certainty that the whole reuse system works today, tomorrow and five years from now.
Circlio Return Stations
Smart, connected return stations with a touchscreen, remote management and a card terminal.
Circlio Core
The heart of the system: items, stock, wash cycles, payments, validation and every station in one place.
Circlio Insights
Analytics, KPIs and ESG reports that make reuse measurable.
Circlio Care
Maintenance, support, software updates and operations. The system just works.
For every place where people eat and drink on the go.
Festivals and events
In Estonia, public events may only serve in reusable tableware. Circlio makes that easy for tens of thousands of visitors.
Arenas and stadiums
Return bins right at the bar counters, terminals and activation devices at points of sale. Fast throughput at half-time.
Cafés and HoReCa
A café cluster shares one return network: take a cup in one place, return it in another.
Fast-food chains
Deposit refunds to card, washing and logistics through one partner, scalable across every restaurant.
Retail
Grocery hot-food counters and ready meals in reusable boxes, with returns at the store.
Cities and municipalities
A public-space return network, solar-powered autonomous stations and city info on the screens.
Reuse is no longer optional. It's required.
Estonia is roughly two years ahead of the EU minimum. With Circlio, you're ready before the deadline arrives.
Public events in Estonia may only serve food and drink in reusable tableware.
Estonian law allows deposits on packaging beyond the beverage deposit-return scheme.
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) takes effect in all member states.
PPWR reuse obligations for food and beverage businesses begin across Europe.
Frequently asked questions
Does the customer need to download an app or create an account?
No. The customer's bank card or phone is their identity. They tap it at the return station and the deposit goes back to the same card.
Do we have to buy the return stations?
No. Circlio provides reuse infrastructure as a service: hardware, platform, maintenance, support and software updates are all included.
What happens if a customer doesn't return an item?
With the Refund model, the deposit paid at the till is kept. With the Hold model, the hold is released only for the items returned. Either way, the platform shows exactly which items are still out.
Which items work with the system?
Drink cups, food boxes, plates and other reusable items with a unique RFID tag. The platform isn't tied to any single item type.
Does Circlio work with our existing till system?
The Refund model runs alongside your existing till with no changes. For the Hold model, we set up the card terminal and handheld device connection together with you.
Who takes care of washing and logistics?
We work with washing and logistics partners so you get the whole loop from one place: items, returns, washing and back to the point of sale.
Let's make your deposit process seamless.
Tell us about your venue or event. We'll get back to you within one business day with a solution sized to your volumes.
- Free initial consultation and demo
- A solution built around your volumes and items
- PPWR-ready before the deadline
Thank you, your enquiry is on its way!
We'll be in touch within one business day.