Consumer

Reverse-vending machines are an essential part of the recycling chain for cans and bottles. As the world responds to the green shift, TOMRA has experienced an increased market pull for new and more effective reverse vending solutions. 

To ensure that the new designs were as user-friendly and attractive as possible, they turned to EGGS for help. How might we design these new, innovative products in a way that their functionality, as well as their look and feel, reflects 

’s focus on inclusion, sustainability, and a premium experience?

Designing machines that reflect TOMRA’s focus on usability and experience

The design principles serve as a foundational blueprint across product ranges for both industrial and interaction design. They have worked as guidelines for concept work within this project and will be used in future product development.

The work went from initial ideation all the way to refinement and detailing of the concepts. WThe work went from initial ideation all the way to refinement and detailing of the concepts. We helped create documentation to order functional and aesthetic prototypes from suppliers. The functional prototypes were presented during the global EuroShop 2023 fair hosted in Germany and generated a lot of attention.

 (multi-feed reverse vending machine) and 

 (a vertical backroom solution) are already released to market. However, to arrive at ready products that reflected TOMRA’s focus on usability and premium quality, we collaborated closely with their internal design team to develop a set of design principles.

Inclusive Design

These design principles guided our choices in the final designs of the machines, both when it came to their aesthetics and functionality.

Design and design principles for inclusion, amiability, efficiency, and premium quality

Thanks to its soft and calm form expression TOMRA R2 gives a friendlier and more human impression of the reverse-vending machine. (Image credits: TOMRA).

TOMRA R2 is a multi-feed reverse vending machine with a wall-mounted front and main unit in the back, allowing stores to perform all cleaning and maintenance in the backroom, away from customers. The design enables wheelchair users to access the machine easily, while high contrasts and tactile queues help guide people with visual impairment. (Image credits: TOMRA)

The thoughtful design choices, guided by the principles, ensure excellent usability and positive user experience, both for consumers and for the staff handling the machines. Accessibility and ergonomic design facilitate everyone using them and save both time and work for store staff emptying or performing maintenance.

Moreover, the design principles bring value that goes way beyond the current products – they provide guidelines and direction for all of TOMRA’s products, both now and in the future. They will facilitate design processes in all projects and offer a solid base for developing solid and holistic products that are aligned with TOMRA’s values and desired impact.

Exceptional usability and guidelines for future projects

TOMRA RollPac is a vertical backroom solution that utilizes height to increase the volume of stored cans and bottles. Thanks to its functional design, it enables store staff to work a lot faster: changing the bin now takes 20 seconds compared to 5 minutes on previous solutions. It is also a lot more ergonomic, minimising lifting. 

TOMRA RollPac was designed in the way that allows building multiple configurations depending on the store needs.

Designing next-generation reverse-vending machines for recycling