Ontarians make history using globally recognized deposit return system
November 12, 2026
The Beer Store is proud to announce that, together with consumers across the
province, we set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for most empty alcohol container deposit return transactions completed in 12 hours (multiple venues).
On Saturday, October 17, 2026, The Beer Store invited Ontario consumers to be part of something historic. What happened next was special, Ontarians returned 12.1 million empty alcohol containers, shattering the previous Beer Store one day record. The Beer Store then worked with GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ adjudicators to confirm the title.
“Almost 100 years ago, The Beer Store created a world class and convenient container deposit system that gets people their money back. Today, we reconfirm this position by setting a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for most empty alcohol container deposit return transactions in 12 hours,” said Roy Benin, President and CEO of TBS. “Our ambition is to remain active in communities across Ontario, accepting empties and refunding deposit money, for another 100 years.”
“This record belongs to Ontarians and our employees,” said Ozzie Ahmed, VP Retail, TBS.
“Consumers from every corner of the province showed up, returned their empties, and made history. We’re incredibly proud of what we accomplished and grateful to everyone who participated. Thank you, Ontario!”
For nearly a century, Ontarians have embraced returning their empty alcohol containers to Beer Stores retail locations, helping create one of the world’s most successful deposit return systems.
This GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ achievement is the latest chapter in that story and a
testament to what can be accomplished when consumers, employees, brewers, and industry partners work together toward a common goal.
“This was more than a record attempt,” added Elena Mora, Director, Stewardship Strategy. “It was a celebration of Ontarians’ commitment to sustainability and a reminder that even the simplest actions can have an extraordinary impact when people come together.”
“Setting this record was very exciting, we pulled out all the stops to raise awareness and generate interest,” said Natasha McVie, Senior Director, Brand and Communications. “It was amazing to see our brand and customers show up to make history.”
Quick Facts
• 67,661 empty return transactions completed in 12 hours
• 12.1 million empty alcohol containers returned
• The event delivered a 75% increase over the typical Saturday volume
• 2 million lbs of material collected, helping divert valuable containers from landfills
• 1,670 metric tonnes of CO₂ emissions avoided through reuse and recycling, equivalent to
removing 390 gas-powered vehicles from the road for a year or powering 224 homes for one year
Returning Empty Alcohol Containers
The Beer Store launched an Empty Return Locator to make it easier than ever to find a Beer Store or alternative location that accepts empty alcohol containers so consumers can get their deposit back.
The Beer Store is Ontario’s proven recycling and reuse solution for empty alcohol containers, including beer bottles and cans, as well as wine and spirit containers sold in Ontario. In almost 100 years of operation TBS has successfully collected for reuse or recycling over 175 billion empty alcohol containers.
Consumers can find the Locator on the Beer Store’s website. Visit www.thebeerstore.ca/where-to return-empties. From the homepage of www.thebeerstore.ca, in the navigation bar select ‘Returning Empties’. This menu will drop down, then select ‘Where to Return Empties.
