DRS players call on government to consider taking digital route

Digital deposit return scheme players have urged government to consider taking digital route after Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) today (20) announced plans for the scheme that will run in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from 2025 onwards.

The proposed scheme will include reverse vending machines and designated sites, where people can deposit plastic bottles and cans in return for cash.

According to Defra, the scheme aims to ensure 85 per cent fewer drinks containers are discarded as litter within three years of its launch.

Environment minister Rebecca Pow said it will provide a “simple and effective system across the country” that will help people recycle more easily.

Reacting to the news, CEO of Digital Deposit Return Scheme (DDRS) platform re-universe Tony McGurk said that today’s Government announcement on DRS is “a missed opportunity for a Deposit Return Scheme that is fit for the 21st century”.

“re-universe welcomes the introduction of a much-needed Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) across the UK, yet the Government’s recent decision to opt for a traditional Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) system is utterly out of touch with the needs of the public, industry, environment, and the government’s own ambition to drive UK innovation.

“The real DRS opportunity lies with a Digital DRS, which would use unique coding to track and trace every individual drinks container included in the scheme, bringing six key benefits above that of an RVM model- consumer convenience and inclusivity, traceability and transparency, lower cost, flexibility, reduced carbon footprint, and future proofing,” McGurk said.

Another player Polytag raised concerns over the argument that technology required to change the labelling of containers to facilitate a DDRS is not currently possible.

“We were equally frustrated that concerns over a digital model were raised regarding set-up and ongoing costs pertaining to increased fraud. Unique-every-time QR codes are in fact proven to reduce fraud and theft by preventing the multiple redemption of deposits by individual actors, a risk that persists with the RVM model,” said Alice Rackley, CEO of Digital Deposit Return Scheme (DDRS) technology pioneer Polytag.

“In spite of this, we are confident that a DDRS will be included in the October 2025 roll out. It is clear consumers want to do the right thing when it comes to recycling, and a convenient digital model, that enables them to build on their current recycling habits and understanding of QR codes and smartphones, is best placed to support them with their intentions.

A key benefit of DDRS is that it can be incorporated into the existing kerbside recycling system, so does not require consumers to change their current habits. Rather than having to travel to return points with their in-scope containers, consumers are able to recycle from home by scanning QR codes, redeeming their deposit through a digital wallet on their smartphone.

At the end of last year, Polytag partnered with Ocado Retail to test the viability of a DDRS. Over a period of 12 weeks, 1.6m ‘unique-every-time’ QR codes were applied to the leading online grocery retailers’ milk bottles. In