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The Beer Store, Ontario’s main beer retailer, will lift its ban on customers returning empties next week after some brewers started struggling to find bottles.

Last month, the retailer announced it was putting its massive recycling program on hold from March 19 to 31 in an effort to protect employees during the coronavirus outbreak. On Wednesday, the chain told the Financial Post that it will slowly start to reintroduce the program on April 6.

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The Beer Store will only accept empty returns at 71 of its 450 stores across the province, so it can make sure its employees have “substantial quantities” of personal protective equipment, which has been in short supply even for health-care professionals across the country.

Stores will limit customers to one cart of empties per visit. The chain will also set up drive-thru recycling systems at seven distribution centres every Sunday starting April 5.