Hi there. I’m Shehab, a Team Leader at Defra and I want to tell you about the new deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers, which will be introduced across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland in 2027.
When did you last buy a drink in a single-use container? Maybe it was a bottle of water in the morning, your favourite smoothie with a lunchtime meal deal, or a soft drink in a can – ready to enjoy whilst you unwind in the evening.
Chances are it wasn’t very long ago – we get through a lot of them. 25 billion, in fact! That’s how many we buy across England, Northern Ireland and Scotland each year.
How many single-use bottles are thrown away?
An estimated 6.5 billion of these single-use drinks bottles and cans per year go to waste rather than being recycled. That's over 17 million each day. This means an unimaginably large amount of plastic, aluminium, or steel is used only once then thrown away.
Far too many of these bottles and cans end up littered on our high streets or strewn across our beaches and countryside, causing harm to our precious wildlife. Research from the Marine Conservation Society shows 97% of surveyed beaches were polluted with drinks-related items in 2023.
Much of this coastal litter ends up floating in our waters. The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that 75 to 199 million tonnes of plastic is currently found in oceans worldwide.
The same durability that makes plastic so useful for things like drinks containers also makes it nearly impossible for nature to completely break down. Instead, they break into tiny pieces called ‘microplastics’ which enter our food chains, harming ecosystems and biodiversity.
I cannot understate the scale and impact of this problem. But it doesn’t have to be this way. The new deposit return scheme will help to tackle this challenge whilst giving the public money back for returning drinks containers.
So what is a deposit return scheme?
With successful examples in countries like Germany, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland, deposit return schemes are a common-sense way to encourage us all to recycle our drinks containers.
Under this scheme, a redeemable deposit is placed on specific drinks containers that can be claimed when the item is returned to a collection point, such as a local supermarket.
There’s no need for a receipt or proof of purchase, so anyone can return their own drinks containers or ones that they find, as long as they’re in good nick. This means we can all chip in to help clean up our communities – and get something for it.
This simple change will reward people for doing the right thing and recycling their empty drinks containers. Together, we will turn the tide on plastic waste.
Deposit return schemes have a proven track record
The average return rate for European countries with a scheme is 87%, according to global eNGO Reloop, with Germany showing the best results at 98%.
More bottles and cans returned means more bottles and cans recycled – crucially meaning fewer items being littered and causing damage to ecosystems on land and at sea.
Just two years after a deposit return scheme was launched in Latvia, the number of drinks containers being found on the coastline of the Baltic Sea had reduced by half. During a clean-up of the Gauja river (the country’s largest), volunteers looked for drink containers eligible under the return scheme – they found zero!
Recycling an old idea
You might have already seen deposit return schemes in action at events like music festivals, where picking up and returning a handful of bottles and cups can earn you some money back.
In fact, many may recall the smaller-scale bottle deposit schemes that some UK companies used to run in the 1960s-70s.
The idea isn’t new, but the scale of the ambition is.
This deposit return scheme will span three nations: England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, covering a combined population of 65 million.
If you’re wondering about Wales, they are working on their own DRS which will work alongside the schemes in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
A more circular way of living
Deposit return schemes ensure that valuable materials are collected, recycled and made back into new drinks containers – a perfectly sustainable loop.
This is a great example of what is known as the circular economy. This is about maximising the life of our resources and reducing waste. This, in turn, delivers environmental benefits and boosts the economy with new green jobs and investment.
At its heart, the deposit return scheme is an environmental policy that will tackle the scourge of littered drinks containers, preserve our beaches and countryside, protect our wildlife and tidy up our streets.
What happens next
The deposit return scheme for drinks containers will be introduced in October 2027 in England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland.
We have been working closely with our Devolved Government colleagues, as well as industry, for several years to develop the policy and legislation. Now that the regulations are in place, we can appoint the scheme administrator – also known as the Deposit Management Organisation (DMO) – in April 2025.
As with most other international schemes, the DMO will be a not-for-profit, industry-led body made up of drinks producers, retailers, and the wider supply chain, and will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the scheme.
Every community should be able to take pride in where they live, and this starts with clean streets and vibrant green spaces free from litter. Simple but ambitious changes like the deposit return scheme will help make this a reality.
If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact DRS@defra.gov.uk.
27 comments
Comment by Scott Gibbins posted on
Hopefully IT WILL HAPPEN THIS TIME,for too long now governments have been kicking this particularl can up the road .....& it's been mainly wombles picking it up time after time ......this will reduce fresh litter massively & be phenomenal for our environment ....winners all round .....its a shame we have to wait ANOTHER 2 years which mean billions more of it will become litter & go to landfill ......clocks tickicking
Comment by R West posted on
I shop exclusively online but with different supermarkets. If I say buy a bottle of wine from Ocado, will Sainsburys accept the empty bottle being given to the delivery driver?
Will the ‘bottle tax’ be given in cash or as a credit?
Will local authorities continue to accept bottles, plastics and tins??
These points all need communicating directly to the public or the bottle tax will be regarded just like the Poll Tax.
Comment by jessicaeverett posted on
Hello,
Thank you for your questions. To be clear, the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) will not be a tax - the deposit will be paid back to consumers upon returning the drinks container (or containers). The scheme administrator will ensure that returning items is as easy as possible for consumers.
Regarding your question about buying from different retailers - if you buy a DRS eligible item from one retailer, you'll be able to return it to different retailer. Returning to your delivery driver is likely not something that will be available from the initial launch of the DRS, though some retailers may choose to offer an “online takeback” service.
There isn't a set way that deposits will be paid. Return points will have to offer at least one of the following options: paying to consumers in cash, by a payment to a debit or credit card, or with a refund voucher.
And just to clarify, glass bottles will not be included in the DRS. The scheme will cover plastic bottles and aluminium or steel cans.
Finally, the DRS will not affect local authority collections of recyclables. Your deposit will not be returned to you via your local authority.
We'll publish more details about how DRS will operate as we approach the launch of the scheme in October 2027.
Best wishes,
Jess (The Blog Team)
Comment by Phil Unhappy. posted on
I've just seen a wonderful Clip on the Web about the Irish Scheme.
there are some points of concern.
1, I pay for my green recycling bin at home. Now if I put my plastic bottle in my green recycle bin, I lose my deposit.
2, I'll have to store all my used items which I've paid a deposit on at home before I can return them..
3, I'll have to return them to get a voucher to then queue to get my deposit back.. When I could have just put the items in my recycle bin at home.
4, At some point the shops where these new recycle machines have been installed, will recover their costs by increasing the prices of their products.
5, If you shop online for whatever reason, you'll now need to go the the shops with all your used deposit paid items.
And finally, the companies selling all this plastic are excused their part in the global problem they've created but we the customers are picking up their bill/costs.
Great idea but why should I pay more for services I already have, and then lose my time to ensure big business makes more profits.
Comment by jessicaeverett posted on
Hello Phil,
Thank you for your comment.
We do appreciate that a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers will require behaviour change. But, as the UK’s single-use plastic bag charge showed, a relatively small financial incentive changed consumer behaviour and drastically reduced the number of plastic bags discarded as litter.
It is estimated that approximately 4 billion plastic bottles and 2.5 billion metal drinks containers are not recycled each year. In 2020, a Keep Britain Tidy study found that single-use drinks containers were some of the UK’s most littered items – up to 55% of litter by volume.
A DRS will end the epidemic of unsightly litter on our streets, improve our countryside, preserve our wildlife, and protect our beaches and marine environment.
Best wishes,
Jess (The Blog Team)
Comment by Steve H posted on
On reading the statement below (from your reply to a question on the upcoming DRS scheme in England) I would like to point out, as others have undoubtedly done, a fundamental problem with the proposed plan.
You stated “…..the DRS will not affect local authority collections of recyclables. Your deposit will not be returned to you via your local authority”.
Clearly, this means that the vast majority of the public - those that like me conscientiously recycle EVERY plastic bottle or aluminium can they ever use via the local authority collection will either have to separately collect those items and drive them to a DRS collection point, or miss out on the refund that other current non-recyclers will soon benefit from !
This seems unfair and inconvenient for the potentially large number of households who are unable to do this.
Has any consideration been given to rewarding local authority collection users for their continued support of local recycling efforts by giving vouchers or similar for every bin collection that includes DRS qualifying items ?
Bearing in mind that the majority of local authority recycling bin contents will be DRS qualifying items, are you seriously expecting people to suddenly start taking vast amounts of these items to collection points instead - or are you hopeful that households will just carry on recycling as now so that the unclaimed refunds can swell someones coffers ?
Comment by Baniel Wick posted on
An excellent blog that clearly explains the new Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers. It provides simple yet highly informative details on how the scheme works, its benefits for recycling, and how it encourages responsible waste management. A wonderful read for anyone looking to reduce waste and support sustainability efforts in their community!Please follwing the given below link: http://www.atlanticrecycling.co.uk
Comment by Conor Breen posted on
Hi Shehab thanks to you and DEFRA for the information and effort you have put in - there is time to iron out teething problems - as ever the devil will be in the detail and there are some fairly testing Q's already above. I think the person raising the q's about council recycling collections has a point but it's difficult to see how that could be resolved. Hopefully councils could receive payments for recycled items and so council coffers might be boosted -reducing council tax or having extra revenue for cervices delivered?
Comment by Dave Taylor posted on
How will this affect kerbside collections? I never visit a supermarket as I don't drive so shop online. Will I just have to pay the 'tax' and hope the council still bothers to recycle bottles?
If councils continue won't people just go through bins on recycling day to steal the drinks containers?
Comment by jessicaeverett posted on
Hi Dave,
Thank you for your question. I spoke to the policy team, and they said:
"Kerbside collections will still be in effect. A deposit return scheme enables the separate sorting of drinks containers by material at source, rather than them being collected as part of kerbside services, where materials streams are often mixed.
The separate sorting will reduce the level of contamination from the residue on other materials and packaging types, and the amount of material that is subsequently rejected for recycling. As a result, this will improve the quality of what is being recycled and reduce the reliance on virgin material, saving on carbon emissions and promoting a circular loop for drinks containers – one of the most commonly littered items.
The Deposit Management Organisations will be setting up a returns network that will make returning drinks container as easy as possible. They will consider spatial distribution and look at areas with high littering and high footfall, such as shopping centres, as well as considering access needs."
Thank you,
Jess (The Blog Team)
Comment by Waqas ahmad posted on
I am very eager waiting for this scheme to come through I have already started my ground work preparing for this scheme I would really love to earn from this scheme right now I collect cans and do street pick up collecting cans and it brings me quite Abit in I enjoy my work when this scheme is here it will give me a better income which is tax free
Comment by Adrian Nigel Hawken posted on
I have today had £100 put into my bank account with no explanation from anyone
Is this from your DRS scheme
Comment by jessicaeverett posted on
Hi Adrian,
No, this is not from the DRS scheme. The scheme is not due to start until 2027 (and the payment received will be dependent on you returning the recyclable items).
Thank you,
Jess (The Blog Team)
Comment by Em posted on
I live rurally and shop online so I assume that I will need to make a special car journey to my nearest supermarket to redeem the deposit on my containers instead of putting them into my weekly kerbside collection.
I understand that Wales is considering digital DRS, which will mean that householders in Wales will still be able to recycle their containers using their kerbside collections AND redeem their deposits - no additional car journeys needed. Is this being considered in England? Might it be used in the future?
Also, I'm lucky and have a car. What accommodations are being provided for those who don't drive?
Comment by bethcarnell posted on
Hi Emma,
Thank you for getting in touch. I've passed on your questions to the team and they've shared the following response:
The deposit return scheme in England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland builds on the design of successful international schemes. Here, most follow a model where you return your containers to retailers such as supermarkets and convenience stores. Through our industry engagement, we have seen broad support for this “return to retail” approach as the most effective way to launch DRS and begin to realise its benefits. Schemes like this have achieved collection rates exceeding 90% of in-scope drinks containers.
The Deposit Management Organisation (DMO) will be responsible for ensuring there is a comprehensive network of return points for consumers to return their containers to, avoiding potential ‘dark spots’, especially in rural areas. The regulations also enable retailers who operate online shopping services to establish takeback services for drinks containers covered by the scheme, which could support those consumers who are less able to access a physical return point. We will be engaging with the DMO and broader industry once implementation of the scheme begins to consider how the scheme can maximise consumer engagement and accessibility.
Regarding Digital DRS, whilst some parts of industry are exploring the potential for digital solutions, there are some concerns of whether a digital solution will deliver high-quality and clean recycled material required and guaranteed via the return to retail model.
Naturally, we will be monitoring how the scheme performs once it is launched and consider how it might evolve over time. A few years after our scheme has been running, we will conduct a ‘post implementation review’ to see how the scheme is performing. This will allow us to assess its effectiveness and whether any changes can be made to help drive better collection rates.
I hope that helps address some of your concerns.
Thank you,
Beth (The Blog Team)
Comment by mat posted on
If we didn't have recycling bins for every household in the country, this might make sense. As I saw from a recent trip to Dublin, no one is going to be taking a bag full of dripping cans in their boot or by foot to a jammed / full / non-functioning machine in a supermarket.
It's just a an extra tax.
Comment by John posted on
What clarity is there at this point about the scheme in Wales? There was so much complication with Scotland attempting to go it alone and the consequent additional levies for product bought / sourced outside of Scotland. How will these complications be avoided if Wales are doing something different?
Comment by bethcarnell posted on
Hi John,
Thanks for getting in touch. I've shared your question with the team and they've given me the following response:
The regulations in England and Northern Ireland are independent of Wales and allow the Deposit Management Organisation (DMO) to work with any other deposit return scheme. When Wales proceed with setting up a DRS, the DMO can work together with a Welsh scheme administrator.
For further information regarding the DRS in Wales, please contact Welsh Government.
I hope that helps answer your question.
Best wishes,
Beth (The Blog Team)
Comment by john posted on
Beth, as we understand it,the Welsh scheme covers glass. How is it proposed to manage glass items purchased in England but redeemed in Wales without the need for separate bar codes?
Comment by bethcarnell posted on
Hi John,
Thanks for your question. The team have got back to me and said:
'Items in scope of the Deposit Return Scheme in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland will be labelled; further details on labelling will be provided by the Deposit Management Organisation. Glass is not in scope of the DRS and therefore glass drinks containers will not carry a deposit and will not be redeemable.
Welsh Government are developing a DRS to deliver benefit to Wales and will be consulting in the near future, following which further details of their proposed scheme will be available.'
I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Beth (The Blog Team)
Comment by Doug Foster posted on
What is the point of having recycling bins if we have to take bottles back?
This is not about the environment more another tax from this overspending government
Comment by bethcarnell posted on
Hi Doug,
Our approach with the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers is in line with the ‘polluter pays’ principle and removes this cost to the taxpayer by creating the right incentives for industry investment and buy-in.
Introducing a DRS creates a separate cleaner, closed-loop waste stream which will increase the value of the recyclate, and reduce the reliance on virgin material.
In 2022, 12 billion plastic bottles and 14 billion drinks cans and were placed on the UK market. Across the UK, it is estimated that approximately 4 billion plastic and 2.5 billion metal drinks containers are not recycled every year with a significant amount being littered. The DRS will end the epidemic of unsightly litter on our streets and restore pride in our communities. It will improve our countryside, preserve our wildlife, and protect our beaches and marine environment.
DRS places collection targets on the Deposit Management Organisation (DMO), not recycling targets, but all containers collected by the DMO must be recycled.
The DMO will be required to reach a collection target of 90% by the third year of the scheme.
Most local authorities already collect in-scope containers, yet the collection and recycling rates for drinks containers have stalled. Therefore, we do not believe this level of recycling can be solely achieved through kerbside collections. However, for other containers you will still be using recycling bins.
I hope that answers your question.
Best wishes,
Beth (The Blog Team)
Comment by Peter posted on
Hi Blog Team,
Really great news a UK wide DRS is finally being introduced.
Can I ask if this DRS has an active element of EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) to it eg. do manufacturers or retailers contribute to the scheme in any meaningful / accountable way eg. paying for infrastructure, paying for the collection and recycling of deposited items and shifting that burden from local authorities (taxpayers)?
Any info you can share would be great thanks!
Peter
Comment by bethcarnell posted on
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your comment.
The Collection and Packaging Reforms, which include Extended Producer Responsibility, Simpler Recycling and the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers are designed to work together to increase the use of recycled materials in packaging, encourage investment in the recycling infrastructure, and support consumer behaviour change through local and national campaigns.
The Deposit Management Organisation (DMO) will be a private sector not-for-profit body established for the purposes of running the DRS for drinks containers. This will be the equivalent of a “scheme administrator” for the DRS.
The DMO will be an industry-led organisation which represents a range of obligated stakeholders. This will ensure it is representative of, and trusted by, industry.
Structuring the DMO in this way will put industry at the heart of the scheme and incentivising them to deliver it successfully. Industry have been clear that they are best placed to run the scheme and ensure circularity of the material they use. This approach is in line with the ‘polluter pays’ principle and removes this cost to the taxpayer by creating the right incentives for industry investment and buy-in.
Once the scheme is live, DRS Producers will be charged a producer fee, set by the DMO, to cover ongoing expenses and recoup investments. In advance of scheme go live, they will also be contributing towards the set-up costs of the DMO.
DRS places collection targets on the DMO, not recycling targets, but all containers collected by the DMO must be recycled. The DMO will be required to reach a collection target of 90% by the third year of the scheme.
I hope that helps answer your question.
Thanks,
Beth (The Blog Team)
Comment by Katy posted on
Love to hear this is coming to UK. Seen it in action in Ireland already. They are leading the way, like they did charging for carrier bags. People complained about that too at first, but it changed behaviour, so it works. Just wish it was sooner than 2027.
Comment by Wishbone Brewery posted on
Hi, we are just looking into Canning again. I'll copy paste my concerns i posted on Social media "Who can tell me about DRS, is it really starting in October (2027 I hear now)? Assuming this is still different to the 'Glass Tax' I've spotted talked about. If we were to plan some Canning now do I have to design something into the labels? Which organisation do we have to join and how much £££?
I feel like 'Yeah we should really get some cans done' but also 'Ahh ffs, is it really worth the hassle?' for minimal smallpack sales?
And also, what happens with cans filled before the scheme comes in, and how about that vid online of a guy scanning 1 bottle to return multiple others without barcodes, is the recycling point/machine open to abuse at the point of recycling?" You can imagine 1 companies Recycling being scanned multiple times even though they are recycling multiple business's products. Ends up being fraud and 1 random company takes the brunt of the cost. Can we claim back costs paid to a DMO for missing cans due to no fault of the producer?
I honesty I feel the present kerbside collections are far better and education and enforcement should be the direction we go rather than adding additional costs to small producers. Its clear who the main problem lies with and they are the massive drinks manufacturers not the niche independents.
Also, this country needs to make recycled materials more viable to be turned back into new products, new oil to be used for plastic production should have higher tax. Unless we target a re-usable model like with German Beer bottles, which being glass is also non-polluting.
Cheers for you time.
Comment by bethcarnell posted on
Hi there,
Thank you for getting in touch.
The UK Government is committed to delivering a Deposit Return Scheme in England in October 2027.
DRS in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland will include single-use drinks containers from 150ml to 3 litres. Materials included are polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, steel, and aluminium drink containers. This will reduce litter, increase recycling rates, create high quality recyclate for producers, and promote a circular economy.
We have actively engaged small producers through the DRS Small Producer sub-group to understand their views and concerns, including working with key bodies such as the Wine and Spirits Trade Association, and the Society of Independent Brewers Association.
We have included a low volume products exemption to support micro producers selling less than 5,000 units per product line. These products can be exempt from DRS.
We expect the DRS scheme administrator – the Deposit Management Organisation (DMO) - to continue to consider the needs of small producers as it progresses delivery of DRS
On your point on fraud, we have developed a fraud impact assessment as part of the DRS policy development, and this will continue to be updated as we learn more about the practicalities of managing possible fraudulent activity in the scheme through our continued research and conversations with industry partners.
Best wishes,
Beth (The Blog Team)