How UK Retailers Can Prepare for the Deposit Return Scheme in 2027

The UK Deposit Return Scheme (UK DRS) goes live on 1st October 2027 in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. From that day, most shops that sell drinks in plastic bottles and cans will charge a refundable deposit and take the empties back. If you run a supermarket, convenience store, petrol station, or off-licence, this is no longer a distant policy debate. It is a store-planning job with a deadline.

If you want the background first, read our UK Deposit Return Scheme explained guide. This post is the practical follow-up: what to do, in what order, and where a reverse vending machine fits.

Key takeaways

• DRS starts on 1 October 2027, so the realistic window to plan, apply for exemptions and install equipment is about 12 months.
• Every retailer selling in-scope drinks must charge the deposit; grocery retailers generally must also host a return point.
• Urban stores of 100 m² or less are automatically exempt; larger stores can apply on proximity or premises grounds.
• You can run returns manually or with a reverse vending machine. The right choice depends on volume, space and staff time.

What does the UK Deposit Return Scheme mean for retailers?

Under the Deposit Return Scheme for retailers, three things change in your store.

• You charge the deposit at the till: Every retailer selling in-scope drinks charges the deposit at the point of sale, having already paid it when buying from producers or wholesalers.
• You take empties back: Supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, and newsagents must host a DRS return point, either manual or automated, unless they are exempt.
• You refund and store: You hand the deposit back by voucher, card, or cash, keep returned containers ready for collection, and display clear scheme information.

The scheme is run by a Deposit Management Organisation (DMO), Exchange for Change UK. Retailers register with it, and it handles exemption applications and container collection. Online retailers are covered too: they need a take-back service for online purchases.

Does your store need to host a DRS return point?

Not every shop has to. Work through these three questions in order.

1. 01Are you automatically exempt? Retail premises in an urban area of 100 m² or less do not have to operate a return point. You can still volunteer if you want the footfall.
2. 02Can you apply for an exemption? Larger or rural stores can apply if another return point is close by, or if the location, layout, size, design, or construction of the premises makes hosting one impractical. In England and Northern Ireland, granted exemptions run for 36 months and need renewing with updated evidence, so keep your paperwork tidy. If you are not hosting a return point, you must display a sign showing where the nearest one is.
3. 03Could you volunteer? Hospitality venues, food-to-go outlets, schools, gyms, community centers, and mobile caterers are not required to host a return point, but they can apply to run a voluntary one.

How to prepare for DRS in 2027: a 7-step retailer checklist

Here is the order we recommend for DRS compliance in the UK. Each step builds on the one before.

1. 01Audit every store: List each site's retail floor area, whether it is urban or rural, the drinks you sell in cans and plastic bottles, and your busiest trading days. This tells you which stores must host a return point and how many containers to expect.
2. 02Check exemptions early: Mark the stores under 100 m² in urban areas, then look at proximity and premises grounds for the rest. Gather evidence now: floor plans, photos, and distances to the nearest return point.
3. 03Register with Exchange for Change UK: Retailers who are not automatically exempt must register, and you need to be registered before applying for proximity or premises exemptions. Put one person in charge of the account and deadlines.
4. 04Choose your return point type: Decide between manual returns at the counter and a reverse vending machine solution for each store. The next section compares them.
5. 05Build the budget: Include equipment, installation, staff time, storage, and maintenance, then set them against the handling fee you receive for each container returned. Our guides on how much a reverse vending machine cost UK and the return on investment of an RVM show how to run the numbers.
6. 06Plan the space: A return point needs a safe customer queue, room to store returned containers, and easy access for collection vehicles. Machines also need power and a connection. A site inspection before you buy saves expensive surprises.
7. 07Train staff and tell customers: Update tills so the deposit shows clearly at checkout, put up scheme signage, brief your team on refunds by voucher, card, or cash, and run a test week before launch.

A suggested timeline from today

Manual return point or reverse vending machine?

A manual DRS return point means staff take containers at the counter, check them, and refund the deposit by hand. A reverse vending machine (RVM) does the checking, counting, and refunding automatically, so customers can return containers without queuing at the till. If you want the full picture, see how reverse vending machines work.

Most multi-store retailers end up with a mix: machines in high-volume stores and manual points in quieter ones. The point is to decide store by store, not for the whole estate at once.

What will DRS compliance cost, and what do you earn back?

Your main costs are equipment, installation, staff time, container storage, and maintenance. Retailers who host a return point earn a handling fee for each container they take back, and that fee depends on the type of return point you run. Because the fee is paid per container, store footfall matters more than anything else when you work out payback. Use our guide to RVM costs in the UK and the ROI article to model a single store before you commit.

How Endlos RVM UK helps retailers get DRS-ready

Endlos Innovations has been building reverse vending machines since 2011, and our machines are live in the UK, India, Turkey, Israel, the UAE, Oman, Malta, and Saudi Arabia. For UK retailers we offer one team from first visit to daily running:

• Site inspection, installation, and maintenance are included in the machine cost, so there are no surprise add-ons.
• Machines for every store size, from compact units to large-capacity models, in the Earth Go, Earth Pro, and Earth X range.
• Flexible payment options to spread the cost across your rollout.
• Our own waste collection and tracking software, so you can see what is returned and when it is collected.

Conclusion: start your DRS preparation now

The UK Deposit Return Scheme starts on 1 October 2027, and the retailers who plan early will have the easiest launch. Begin by checking whether each store must host a DRS return point or qualifies for an exemption. Then register with Exchange for Change UK, pick manual returns or a reverse vending machine store by store, and set aside time for installation, till updates and staff training.

You do not have to work it out alone. Endlos RVM UK handles site inspection, installation, and maintenance, and our team can help you match the right machine to each store. Contact Endlos RVM UK today to book a site inspection and make your stores DRS-ready well before October 2027.

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