Problems returning empty bottles to the Beer Store

[Ale's What Cures Ya]

Just wondering if anyone else gets grief from the beer store when they try to return odd bottles. For instance, my local store wouldn't take back the Rogue bombers that I purchased at the LCBO. They also wouldn't take the St Bernadus bottles I got from the LCBO last spring. Also, they will never take any of my U.S beer bottles, such as Dog Fish Head, Sierra Nevada etc. What exactly is the rule on what they do and don't take?

The Beer Store is even worse for lack of knowledge than the LCBO monkeys. Just tell them you got them at the LCBO and kindly point to the sign hanging in the window that promotes the bottle exchange. If they still don't take them well you can either insult them or get the manager. Preferably both.

[Kish84]

I know you're not supposed to return/get deposit back for american bottles, but I do anyways, well I don't but I get my brother-in-law to.

I've worked out a bit of a deal with him where he can get some of what he wants (right now its "the beer of summer") and I get some of what I can get, either unibroue or st. ambroise.

Last bottle run was mostly american bottles, and we got the deposit back for every bottle, around $26.

They seem to not care too much in K-W, they also found the Mad Tom rather quickly too!!

Its a small win though as there really is no local to have a good pint at.

[NRman]

If TBS/LCBO was smart/if they cared they'd collect data on all the non Ontario returns and get a picture of the demand they are not meeting.

In the mean time I will enjoy the "windfall"

"Newman, you magnificent bastard, you did it!! "

[ErkLR]

I've never had a problem returning any bottles to TBS, they have (or USED to have) a list of what they pay deposit back for. I say this because I've seen them consult it for odd bottles I've had, but this was years ago. I also can't be arsed to rip them off for 50-60 cents for non-ON-purchased bottles I occasionally have, I'm just not that cheap.

[LondonBeer]

I put my american bottles in my recycle bin, I like seeing the joy in some rummys eyes when they go through my bin on garbage day.

[JesseM]

I put my american bottles in my recycle bin, I like seeing the joy in some rummys eyes when they go through my bin on garbage day.

. You cheeky bastard.

[SteelbackGuy]

if you return bottles that were knowingly not purchased in this province, then you are robbing taxpayers of their money.

[JesseM]

if you return bottles that were knowingly not purchased in this province, then you are robbing taxpayers of their money.

But if you're a taxpayer, then you're robbing yourself, yet there's the money right there in your hand.....

FTW!

[RayOhm]

I put my american bottles in my recycle bin, I like seeing the joy in some rummys eyes when they go through my bin on garbage day.

haha thats exactly what I do, some bum comes and takes my American empties every garbage day. I assume he just brings them to the Beer Store anyway.

[Inkling]

if you return bottles that were knowingly not purchased in this province, then you are robbing taxpayers of their money.

Egg Management Fee

[SteelbackGuy]

if you return bottles that were knowingly not purchased in this province, then you are robbing taxpayers of their money.

Egg Management Fee

Love that commercial!

[Streets]

"Newman, you magnificent bastard, you did it!! "

The only trouble is I didn't make any money from returning American empties. I'm pretty sure they charged me a deposit fee when I bought the beer in the states.

[Kel Varnsen]

"Newman, you magnificent bastard, you did it!! "

The only trouble is I didn't make any money from returning American empties. I'm pretty sure they charged me a deposit fee when I bought the beer in the states.

I think the deposit on standard 12 ounce beer bottle in the US only 5 cents. So if you can get the Beer Store to pay you 10 cents for those bottles you are making a bit of a profit.

[m0ej0e]

If you are returning items that have not been bought in Ontario then you are taking funds from not only yourself but other people. I would assume any worker at the Beer Store simply enters the returns as LCBO returns and thus takes money from there.

I have worked at the Beer Store and can say that we try not to be a mean about it. From my own experiences if I know bottles were not bought in Ontario, or if there was no deposit paid I offer to recycle it. But there will be no money exchanged.

I also know that there are some concerns with cardboard etc in the stores. Since taking on the LCBO returns almost no stores have seen any changes other then an increase in staff. This means that when people are brining in all the cardboard boxes and leaving them in the store, by the end of the week we would be close to being closed down by H&S. I would say bring in a bin and fill the black bins, or get the CSR to do so. One thing I hate doing is reaching in a garbage bag full of bottles. Main reason: I do not like finding knifes or other sharp objects and getting cuts through my gloves. Never happened to me but we do have emails sent around about several items such as this. There were even enough issues with injury's that we are allowed to ask for customer to fill the bins if they bring there items back in a bag.

If you have any questions let me know and I will do the best to answer them.

Joe

[Kel Varnsen]

If you are returning items that have not been bought in Ontario then you are taking funds from not only yourself but other people. I would assume any worker at the Beer Store simply enters the returns as LCBO returns and thus takes money from there.

I have worked at the Beer Store and can say that we try not to be a mean about it. From my own experiences if I know bottles were not bought in Ontario, or if there was no deposit paid I offer to recycle it. But there will be no money exchanged.

I would be curious to know if and how much money the beer store makes on the recycling program. I mean if like you say a Beer Store employee finds a US bottle or can mixed in with a bunch of returns and offers to recycle it for free, then what happens to that bottle. Sure the dude who brings it back doesn't get paid but wouldn't the beer store just sell the material to a metal or glass recycler and make money off it that way? The Beer store isn't doing the recycling thing as a non-profit operation are they? I mean of course industry standard bottles and cans can just be delivered back to the beer store shareholders for their use, but they must be making a little money off of returns from LCBO stuff otherwise why would they do it?