Rugby fans attending Scotland v Australia at Scottish Gas Murrayfield this Sunday (15 November) will have the chance to try out reverse vending machines (RVMs) as part of a single-use drinks container return trial.
The trial is being led by Exchange For Change, the organisation responsible for delivering the UK's Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), ahead of the scheme's launch on 1 October 2027.
Under the scheme, consumers will pay a 20p deposit on drinks sold in PET plastic bottles and aluminium or steel cans between 150ml and 3 litres, receiving the deposit back when they return the empty container for recycling.
Held in partnership with Scottish Rugby and Highland Spring, the trial will invite supporters to return bottles and cans to eight reverse vending machines located around the stadium, with Highland Spring donating to Endometriosis UK for every eligible bottle of theirs returned.
The Murrayfield trials will provide an opportunity to put the return process into practice at a major sporting event, including this Saturday’s sold-out fixture, testing the return experience for consumers ahead of the scheme launching across the UK in October 2027.
It follows previous trials at the Wimbledon Championships Qualifying Competition in June, where spectators paid a 20p deposit on Evian water bottles and returned them through RVMs, with the deposits donated to the Wimbledon Foundation. A separate trial at the Special Olympics GB National Summer Games in August focused on accessibility, gathering feedback from athletes and visitors on the machines and their instructions.
The reverse vending machines will also be in place for Scotland v Japan on Saturday 21 November, giving more supporters the chance to take part in the trial.