After years of anticipation and a few delays along the way, the UK’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) finally has a name and a launch date. Now rebranded as Exchange for Change, the not-for-profit body, which was established to design and deliver the Deposit Return Scheme across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, has confirmed the planned launch for October 2027.
What’s the Big Idea?
Each year, an estimated 6.5 billion single-use plastic bottles and cans in the UK go to waste instead of being recycled. Shockingly, over 40% end up as litter, blighting our high streets, beaches and countryside. The forthcoming Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is designed to change that, by placing a small, refundable deposit on in-scope drinks containers. When returned for recycling, the deposit is repaid – turning waste into a resource and encouraging responsible disposal.
More than 50 countries worldwide have already implemented similar schemes, achieving significantly higher recycling rates as a result.
For the UK, DRS represents a landmark shift towards a truly circular economy – where valuable materials are kept in use and out of the environment.
Research shows that a well-run scheme doesn’t just boost recycling. It also reduces waste, improves the quality of collected materials, and helps prevent millions of tonnes of carbon emissions, delivering clear environmental gains at every stage.
Introducing Exchange for Change
The principle is simple. Consumers pay a small deposit when purchasing a drink in a PET plastic, aluminium or steel container. Once empty, they return the container and get their deposit back — a clean loop, in theory and in practice. The goal? To cut litter, boost recycling rates, and give valuable materials a second life.
Exchange for Change will span England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, covering containers from 150ml to 3 litres. The newly unveiled brand icon must appear on all relevant drinks packaging and return points, with full guidance for producers and retailers expected in due course.
Cromwell can help!
At Cromwell Polythene, we know that when systems like this land, the success lies in the details, the logistics, the collection infrastructure, and the behind-the-scenes products that keep the process flowing. That’s where we come in.
We supply a range of fit-for-purpose sacks, liners and containers that help streamline the collection, sorting and storage of recyclables -including those in-scope DRS containers. Whether you’re a local authority prepping for kerbside changes, or a retailer planning for instore returns, our products help ensure materials are captured cleanly, handled hygienically, and processed efficiently.
We’ll be watching the Exchange for Change rollout closely and working with stakeholders across the sector to build a cleaner, more circular future. Because recycling works best when the whole chain – from product to packaging to people – is pulling in the same direction.