Deposit return schemes expand with new technology in UK and Ireland

Deposit return schemes (DRS) for beverage containers are evolving in the UK and Ireland, introducing new technologies and operational requirements for retailers.

In Scotland, a new scheme is set to launch on 1 October 2027. Retailers will be responsible for charging a 20p deposit on eligible drinks and managing return points. To facilitate this, businesses are encouraged to adopt reverse vending machines to improve efficiency. The scheme operator, Exchange for Change, offers handling fees to retailers—ranging from 3p to 5p per container depending on the method and volume—and provides grant funding of up to £6,000 per site for independent retailers.

In Ireland, the scheme operator Re-turn is expanding the use of bulk reverse vending machines to address high demand and long queues at standard single-item machines. While 25 bulk machines are currently operational across various locations, nine more are scheduled for rollout this year. These machines allow users to tip entire bags of containers—up to 100 at a time—into the device. Since the scheme's launch in February 2024, 61 million containers have been processed through bulk machines.