Plastic bottles deposit scheme.

For many children growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, returning empty lemonade bottles to the local shop was an early lesson in recycling and financial planning. A few returned bottles could provide enough money for a packet of Fruit Pastilles or, for the particularly industrious, a properly sized Wagon Wheel.

Those familiar bottle-return arrangements largely disappeared as disposable containers and household recycling became more common. After years of consultations, announcements and delays, a modern Deposit Return Scheme is now scheduled to begin across the UK on 1 October 2027.

What Is a Deposit Return Scheme?

A Deposit Return Scheme adds a small refundable deposit to the price of an eligible drink. The customer pays the deposit when buying the drink and receives it back when the empty container is returned to an approved collection point.

The aim is to encourage more people to return bottles and cans, reduce Litter and provide cleaner, higher-quality material that can be recycled into new containers.

When Will the Scheme Begin?

The Deposit Return Scheme is scheduled to begin on 1 October 2027.

Separate legal schemes will operate in different parts of the UK. Still, the governments have said they intend the arrangements to be as consistent and straightforward as possible for consumers and businesses.

Which Containers Will Be Included?

In England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the scheme will cover single-use drinks containers made from:

• PET plastic
• Aluminium
• Steel

Eligible containers will generally hold between 150 millilitres and three litres.

Items such as drinks cartons, pouches and most milk containers made from high-density polyethylene will not be included under the initial arrangements.

Will Glass Bottles Be Included?

Glass will not be included in the schemes operating in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Wales has chosen a different approach. Its scheme will include glass bottles alongside plastic bottles and metal cans. However, Welsh glass containers will initially carry a zero-pence deposit during a transitional period, with further measures intended to encourage reuse.

How Much Will the Deposit Be?

The final deposit amount has not yet been confirmed. It will be set through the organisations appointed to manage the schemes, with the intention that the amount should be consistent across the UK where possible.

The deposit will not be a tax or permanent charge if the container is returned correctly. Customers will receive the relevant amount back when they return an eligible container.

How Will Containers Be Returned?

Empty containers will be returned to designated collection points. These are expected to include supermarkets, shops and automated reverse-vending machines.

A reverse-vending machine scans the container, confirms that it is part of the scheme and then issues a refund or voucher. Some shops may operate manual return points instead.

Eligible containers are expected to display a scheme logo or identifying mark. Consumers may need to keep the container reasonably intact so that its barcode or other identification can be read.

Will Every Shop Have to Accept Returns?

Retailers selling eligible drinks will generally have responsibilities under the scheme. However, exemptions may apply in certain circumstances, including where a return point would be impractical due to the shop's size, location, or layout.

The detailed arrangements will be managed by the appointed Deposit Management Organisations and the relevant national authorities.

What Happens to an Unclaimed Deposit?

If a customer does not return a container, the deposit will remain within the scheme rather than being refunded.

Unclaimed deposits are expected to contribute towards the costs of operating the system. In some areas, customers may also be given the option to donate their refund to charity rather than receiving it personally.

Why Is the Scheme Being Introduced?

Billions of plastic bottles and metal cans are placed on the UK market each year. Although many are collected through household recycling, a substantial number are still discarded as Litter, placed in general waste or lost from the recycling system.

A financial incentive gives the container a continuing value after the drink has been consumed. This can encourage the purchaser or anyone who finds the discarded container to return it.

The government expects the scheme to:

• Reduce litter on streets, beaches and in the countryside
• Increase the number of bottles and cans collected for recycling
• Improve the quality of recycled plastic and metal
• Reduce the need for new raw materials
• Encourage manufacturers to use more recycled material

Will It Replace Household Recycling?

No. Household recycling collections will continue, but eligible drinks containers carrying a deposit will be worth returning through the Deposit Return Scheme.

Consumers who place a deposit container in their normal recycling bin will not receive the deposit back. Local authorities may also receive fewer valuable plastic bottles and cans through kerbside collections, which has been one of the concerns raised during the scheme's development

What Are the Objections?

Although there is broad support for reducing Litter and improving recycling, retailers and producers have raised concerns about cost and complexity.

Businesses may need to alter labels, barcodes, stock systems and packaging. Retailers may also need space for return machines, storage and collection, while smaller shops may find the arrangements particularly difficult.

There have also been concerns about fraud, including attempts to return containers purchased outside the scheme or claim the same deposit more than once. The system will therefore require effective labelling, registration and monitoring.

Could Prices Increase?

The deposit will be added to the amount paid at the till, so the initial purchase price will appear higher. However, the deposit is refundable.

There may also be wider costs associated with operating the system, including collection, machinery, administration and labelling. Whether businesses absorb those costs or pass some of them to consumers will depend on commercial decisions and the final structure of the scheme.

Will It Reduce Litter?

Deposit schemes operate successfully in many countries and can achieve high return rates. The UK schemes are intended to achieve a collection rate of 90% for eligible containers by the third year of operation.

The financial value attached to each container should make people less likely to discard it and more likely to pick up bottles or cans that others have left behind.

It will not eliminate all Litter, but plastic bottles and drinks cans are highly visible and persistent forms of waste. Increasing their collection should improve streets, parks, beaches and waterways.

What Should Consumers Do?

The scheme is not due to begin until October 2027, so there is no refundable deposit on ordinary UK drinks containers at present.

Once the scheme starts, consumers should:

• Look for the Deposit Return Scheme logo
• Keep the container reasonably intact
• Do not remove or damage the barcode
• Return it to an approved collection point
• Collect the refund or choose to donate it where that option is available

A Long-Awaited Return

The modern scheme will be much larger and more complicated than returning a glass lemonade bottle to the corner shop. Still, the basic principle is the same: the container retains a value, and that value encourages its return.

The success of the scheme will depend on whether it is simple for consumers, workable for retailers and consistent across the UK. After repeated delays, the focus must now be on ensuring that the system is ready to operate effectively from October 2027.

Whether the refund is saved, donated to charity or exchanged for a bag of sweets will remain a matter of personal choice.

Disclaimer

The information on this page is for general guidance only. The Deposit Return Scheme is still being developed, and details, including the deposit value, return arrangements, and retailer exemptions, may change before its planned introduction on 1 October 2027.

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