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Deposit return scheme for England and North

England and the North are to bring in a scheme where consumers will pay a refundable deposit for all single-use drinks containers, from1 October 2027.

The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) will apply to all single-use drink containers made primarily from aluminium, steel, or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, with capacities ranging from 150 millilitres to three litres.

The scheme will also include containers with lids made from different materials.

There is also an exemption for medicine bottles and those used as flavour enhancers or sweeteners such as syrups.

A Browne Jacobson briefing has said that bids opened for the scheme in January, with the winner announcement expected shortly.

The contract will involve setting the deposit amount, providing detailed guidance for businesses, and overseeing the overall management of the scheme, with oversight by jurisdictional environmental agencies.

Responsibilities

Businesses involved in the production, import, wholesale, and retail of drinks in covered containers will face the responsibilities of charging the deposit to buyers, ensuring containers are registered and correctly labelled under the scheme, and reporting the volume of drinks placed on the market.

Shops selling drinks covered by the DRS must not only charge and pay deposits, but also host manual or automated reverse vending machine return points for empty containers.

Smaller retailers in urban areas will be exempt, though hospitality and leisure venues can volunteer to run a reverse vending machine.