I totally agree with jcnoren. Used bottles are definitely a good thing for you
and for for the restaurants who have to dispose of them. It's a two-way street, even here in the United States. I have heard from my place that they have to pay to get rid of them. At least from the place I get my bottles.
I get my bottles at my parents' German club. They are really into German wine, and I get some wonderful bottles (usually the same kind) from them. The germans are really into piesporter (Michaelsberg) and white zinfandel from Sutter Home. The sutter Home bottles are a pain to de-label, but the Piesporter are a breeze. I take that into consideration. I make sure that they guy who's in charge gets a bottle or 3, depending on what I've got going. If I haven't been there in a long time, I give him 4. Poor man, he's intrigued by my tomato wine (he's the only one who loves it), and I've been running out......
I have also gone to a local winery, looking for bottles. They sell a used case for 2.25, all different sorts. There are blue bottles, green bottles and clear ones. It's worth it if you get at least a case of each type. They don't scrounge for you, they didn't for me, but you get such a good feeling when you tell them, "I'm a home winemaker, do you possibly, by any chance, have bottles?" They always ask what you're making and are very enthusiastic -- until they hear what
I make.
Then they just politely smile and say, "Wow, that's very interesting."
I'm used to it. Little do they know how great a mum-wine tastes, and how good my "little bit of...." wine tastes.
My friends? Nah, they love to drink my wine, but rarely do I ever get a bottle back. It's just in the cards, I guess. My parents? They are my true-faithfuls. They always give me bottles. A friend of my parents' even goes to her church and asks for the communion wine-bottles for me (No, I did not ask her to do so, but she looks at them and says, "Hey, Martina needs bottles".)
So some of my wines are kinda-sorta-by-the-wayside blessed. HA! I think older generations are familiar with scratch wines and home-winemaking in general, and that is why I think they think of it more. I come from a very strong German background (my parents are from there) and they lived through times where the only wine/alcohol was ones that were homemade. They simply remember to save the bottles for me. Also, through my parents, they always taste my wine. The lady who goes to church and gets the bottles gets special wines. She's a true good friend, not only to my parents, but to me too, and she gets the good stuff.
Long story, but common theme: If you give a bottle or 4 or 10 to people, you'll be remembered, and the bottles will be saved for you.
At least that's my experience.