Today DEFRA shared its outline of a DRS across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, planned to be introduced in 2025. The system will place deposits on drinks bottles and cans to help incentivise people to recycle. It will include special machines, known as reverse vending machines, and designated sites where people can return their bottles and receive their cash back.

We welcome today’s publication and its outline of a DRS across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. DRS is not only critical to creating a circular economy for drinks containers, but essential to SBF GB&I’s net zero roadmap and that of the drinks industry. The sooner England, Wales and Northern Ireland systems come on stream the better for the environment. We’re glad to see that many of our recommendations have been included. For the schemes to be effective, they need to be 100% interoperable. Manufacturers and retailers operate in one UK market, so divergence creates unnecessary cost and complexity potentially impacting consumer choice and adding extra burden to business. We will continue working with all of the governments in the UK, as well as our customers and consumers to deliver a circular loop for our drinks’ containers that works for everyone.

Liz Nieboer, Head of Sustainability and External Affairs, SBF GB&I