DRS explained - What we know so far, what we don't, and what businesses should do now

With the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) administrator, Exchange for Change, now fully established and the scheme scheduled to go live in October 2027, businesses across the supply chain are beginning to consider how best to prepare.

Although the implementation date is still over a year away, many organisations are keen to understand what is already confirmed, what remains undecided, and what steps they should be taking now.

Below, we set out what we do and don’t yet know about the DRS, and what obligated businesses should be thinking about at this stage.

What do we know so far?

It has been confirmed for some time that producers, including brand owners and importers, will have obligations under the DRS where they place drinks containers on the market that:

• Have a capacity between 150ml and 3 litres, and
• Are made from aluminium, steel or PET plastic.

Producer obligations will include paying a producer fee, reporting on the containers they place on the market, applying a deposit to each container, and meeting specific labelling requirements.

Certain grocery retailers, based on store size, will also have obligations. These retailers will be required to host return points where consumers can redeem their deposits and will be compensated for operating these return points via a ‘handling fee’.

Since the formal appointment of Exchange for Change, further clarity has been provided on some aspects of the scheme. This includes published guidance on:

• The exact labelling requirements for all in-scope containers.
• The use of Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) at return points.
• One‑page guidance documents covering different categories of obligated businesses.

All of this guidance is now available on the Exchange for Change website.

What decisions are still outstanding?

Despite recent progress, several key elements of the DRS are yet to be confirmed.

Key considerations that are yet to be announced include:

• The deposit amount that will apply to each container.
• The reporting requirements for drinks container producers, and how these will interact with reporting under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging.
• How the producer fee will be calculated, and the level at which it will be set.
• How retailers will be reimbursed for operating return points, and what handling/cost reporting will be required.

Until these decisions are finalised, businesses will not be able to fully prepare for the scheme.

What should businesses be doing in the meantime?

In the meantime, drinks producers should familiarise themselves with the confirmed labelling guidance and begin planning to ensure that compliant labels are in place ahead of the scheme’s introduction.

Similarly, grocery retailers should consider whether manual return points or RVMs are most appropriate for their stores and start preparing to ensure return infrastructure is available to consumers from October 2027.

What about drinks sold in Wales?

Wales is also planning to implement a DRS, but with a key difference. The Welsh Government intends to include glass bottles in scope, alongside PET plastic bottles and metal cans.

To enable this approach, Wales applied for an exemption from the Internal Market Act 2020, which has now been granted subject to several conditions. These include commitments to:

• Launch the Welsh DRS for PET plastic and metal drinks containers on 1 October 2027, in line with the rest of the UK.
• Ensure interoperability across the UK, including a single registration and reporting system for PET plastic and metal containers, reciprocal take‑back arrangements, and a common deposit level.
• Introduce a transitional period for glass containers, running until October 2031, during which glass will carry a 0p deposit and be exempt from labelling requirements.

At present, confirmation is still awaited on how the Welsh scheme will operate in practice, including which organisation will be responsible for managing it.

Stay up-to-date with DRS developments

Ecosurety members can join us for an exclusive webinar on the UK DRS, where our policy experts will be joined by Exchange for Change to unpack the latest DRS updates for our members.

The session is on 14 May 2026 will provide a clear update on the DRS and what it means for businesses. We will introduce Exchange for Change and present existing guidance and timelines for what more to expect this year. The session will be followed by a live Q&A.

Ecosurety members will have recieved an invite by email. Any questions, please reach out to your Account Manager, or accounts@ecosurety.com