Deposit Return Scheme
Drinks litter is one of the most commonly found items on our beaches. We've been calling for Deposit Return Schemes to be urgently introduced across the UK.
What is a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS)?
You pay a small deposit on top of the price of a drink. When finished, you return the drinks container to a collection point - in a supermarket or shop for example - where you get your money back.
This sort of system would reduce littering, putting a value on what is commonly seen as 'worthless', and encourage others to pick up drinks litter they come across. It’s a simple idea which would have an immediate impact.
Why do we need Deposit Return Schemes?
DRS reduce litter and help the drive towards a circular economy - where materials aren’t lost, but used again and again.
Our Bottles for Change campaign, launched in 2018, gathered more than 25,000 signatures in support of a DRS for all drinks containers, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
We’ve seen incredible public support for a Deposit Return Scheme and further delay means more bottles and cans blighting our beaches.
Progress in the UK
England
In April 2024, the UK Government announced a huge step forward for the Deposit Return Scheme. They also announced a shift in the start date from October 2025 to 2027 - we need this to come in much faster to save our seas.
In January 2023, the UK Government for England announced plans for a DRS to be introduced by 2025. This follows a number of consultations which gathered insights from members of the public and businesses into how a DRS could work. Read our response to the consultation.
Although the introduction of the scheme is a step in the right direction to reduce drinks-related litter such as plastic bottles and aluminium drinks cans, glass will not be included.
In their 2019 manifesto, the UK Government committed to a Deposit Return Scheme including glass: “We will [...] introduce a deposit return scheme to incentivise people to recycle plastic and glass.”
For the last 10 years, glass bottles have consistently been found on over half of all surveys
Northern Ireland
In April 2024, the UK Government announced a huge step forward for the Deposit Return Scheme. They also announced a shift in the start date from October 2025 to 2027 - we need this to come in much faster to save our seas.
In January 2023, then Environment Minister Rebecca Pow announced the Government's plans for Deposit Return Schemes covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland, set to be introduced in 2025.
Glass bottles will not be captured by DRS in Northern Ireland. Glass drinks bottles will be covered by the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging scheme, which will place targets on producers in relation to glass recycling.
Scotland
Scotland was the first nation in the UK to commit to a DRS, which was going to include PET plastic bottles, glass bottles and steel/aluminium drinks cans.
Prices for drinks in these types of containers will include a deposit of 20p per bottle or can, which will be fully refunded when returned for recycling.
The scheme was due to be implemented in March 2024. However, the UK Government did not provide an exemption for the inclusion of glass through the Internal Market Act. The Scottish Government then announced it would delay implementing its Deposit Return Scheme and start in line with the rest of the UK in October 2025. We're disappointed that yet again, the scheme will be delayed and could see the removal of glass. We know Deposit Return Schemes have huge potential to turn the tide on drinks-related pollution, for the benefit of both people and planet.
Scotland's seas cannot, and should not, be paying the price for our waste. We now call on everyone involved to work together to deliver a Deposit Return Scheme that Scotland can be proud of and will benefit our beaches for generations to come.
We had hoped the announcement by the UK Government in April on announcing the next steps would have allowed Scotland to move forward with their plans for a Deposit Return Scheme to include glass. However, the announcement highlighted Scotland would now align with England and Northern Ireland and exclude glass. This is not good enough. We need every country to follow the ambition set by Wales to include plastic, metal and glass in their deposit return scheme.
Wales
Following the four nation announcement in April 2024 the Welsh Government remain committed to their plans to introduce a Deposit Return Scheme that would allow consumers to return plastic bottles and lids, aluminium cans, and glass drinks containers. However, they have also agreed to algin the timeline with the rest of the UK and the implementation date is now 1st October 2027 instead of October 2025.