Retail Organizations Advise Against Taking Bottles And Cans Back During COVID-19 Pandemic

Due to the state’s many executive orders during the COVID-19 pandemic, retailers are advising Michigan stores to no longer accept bottle and can returns.

The Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association, Midwest Independent Retailers and the Michigan Retailers Association released a joint press release saying stores should stop accepting returns, until the COVID-19 pandemic clears up.

Other states including Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Oregon and Vermont have also suspended taking returns back.

While handling returned bottles and cans has not been proven to expose someone to COVID-19, the virus can live on surfaces for several days.

Employees handling the returns could be exposed, if a person carrying the disease, touched the bottles or cans returned.

The $.10 deposit will still be charged, and consumers can once again return bottles and cans, once the executive order advising people stay home unless necessary is lifted.