The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is often discussed as a change in consumer recycling behaviour.
For manufacturers, the impact is much broader.
From 1 October 2027, eligible single-use drinks containers placed on the market in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland will carry a 20p deposit. This places a financial value on packaging at the point of sale, with that value recovered when containers are returned.
For manufacturers and supply chains, this changes the operating model.
Materials in scope:
- PET plastic drinks containers (150ml–3 litres)
- Aluminium drinks containers (150ml–3 litres)
- Steel drinks containers (150ml–3 litres)
For information regarding the Welsh DRS approach, keep reading.
What does DRS mean for manufacturers?
DRS changes the role of packaging.
Waste is no longer simply something managed after production. Packaging becomes part of a wider operational process involving:
- Product design
- Packaging data
- Compliance reporting
- Logistics
- Collection infrastructure
- Resource recovery
Eligible containers will require DRS-specific labelling, including the required barcode and logo, and producers will need to maintain accurate records of products placed on the market and deposits collected through sales.
For manufacturers, visibility becomes critical.
Understanding what materials are generated, where they move and how they are recovered will become essential to managing compliance and controlling cost.
Packaging becomes a tracked resource
Deposit Return Schemes have operated successfully across Europe for many years.
Now, through organisations such as Exchange for Change, the UK is developing the infrastructure needed to deliver a nationwide scheme.
The biggest change is not the deposit itself.
It is the mindset shift.
Packaging is no longer simply a waste stream.
It becomes a tracked material with environmental and financial value.
At Axil, we see this as a significant shift for manufacturers:
- Compliance becomes operational discipline.
- Data becomes essential.
- Recovery quality becomes something you design for, not something you hope for.
A simple example: the manufacturing site canteen
Consider a manufacturing site with a staff canteen.
The business purchases drinks, and the deposit value is included at the point of purchase.
Once consumed, the empty container still has value attached to it.
If that container enters general waste, the opportunity to recover that value is lost.
To maximise recovery, businesses will need to consider:
- Where drinks are consumed
- How containers are collected
- How employees dispose of packaging
- How recovered materials are managed
A simple workplace behaviour suddenly becomes part of a wider resource management strategy.
This is where waste stops being an afterthought.
It becomes a resource to be captured, measured and managed.
How Axil helps manufacturers prepare for DRS
DRS is not just a compliance change. It is an opportunity to improve how resources are understood and managed.
Axil helps manufacturers prepare by combining operational expertise, data insight and practical waste management solutions.
We support businesses to:
Understand material flows – Using data and reporting to identify where packaging is generated, collected and recovered.
Improve recovery performance – Reviewing collection systems and processes to maximise the value of materials.
Strengthen compliance – Helping businesses understand changing legislation and maintain confidence in reporting.
Embed operational improvements – Identifying opportunities to reduce waste, improve segregation and support circular economy goals.
Through our Total Waste Management approach, Axil helps manufacturers turn regulatory change into measurable operational improvement.
Wales: A different approach
The Welsh Government is taking a different approach to DRS.
The scheme will include single-use glass drinks containers and will be introduced through a phased approach.
From October 2027, single-use glass containers will be collected, but the deposit return charge will not apply until October 2031. This phased approach aims to support the development of glass reuse infrastructure and strengthen circular economy outcomes.
Manufacturers supplying glass drinks containers into Wales will still need to understand their registration and reporting obligations.
Preparing for October 2027
DRS represents a fundamental change in how packaging is valued.
The manufacturers that prepare early will be better positioned to manage compliance, improve resource visibility and recover greater value from materials.
Because the future of waste management is changing.
Packaging is no longer just something that leaves the site.
It is a resource that needs to be tracked, recovered and managed.