Households paid to take bottles back to Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s | UK | News
Households in the UK will be paid to bring empty bottles and cans back to supermarkets “without requiring a receipt”, under a new government initiative to reduce waste.
The upcoming Deposit Return Scheme for empty drinks containers has been approved by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to “stop the avalanche of litter filling our high streets, countryside and oceans”. In an update at the end of last year, Defra announced that the scheme would be implemented in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland from October 2027, with people given a financial reward for returning used empty bottles and cans to dedicated collection points.
These return facilities will be located in major supermarkets across the UK, including Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s, as well as convenience stores, convenience stores and newsagents that sell drinks, so the containers can be recycled and people will then be paid for their returns.
Similar schemes have been set up in more than 50 countries around the world, including Germany, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland, to encourage people to recycle more single-use drinks containers, and now the UK will soon launch its own project.
In an update to its Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2025 published in December, Defra outlined its plans to minimize waste as follows: “Introduce the Deposit Return Scheme for beverage containers from October 2027. This will include single-use beverage containers made from polyethylene terephthalate plastic, steel and aluminium, from 150ml to 3 litres.”
Defra previously confirmed to The Express that the following drinks containers would be included in the programme; so households that return any of these to a valid return point (either manual or automated using a reverse vending machine) will receive a cash reward:
All disposable beverage containers with the following features:
- made entirely or mainly of aluminum or steel or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic
- It has a capacity between 150 milliliters and 3 liters
- will probably only be used once or for a short time
Containers with lids made of other materials are still included. The deposit will not be valid for containers in the following cases:
- not disposable
- made of high density polyethylene (HDPE); This is the material used to make milk bottles.
This plan does not include containers used for liquid medications (such as cough syrup) or flavor enhancers or sweeteners added to beverages (such as syrup or hot sauce).
When a bottle or can is returned, retailers must refund the deposit to consumers via voucher, card or cash at the return point.
It is hoped that the scheme, which gives people a financial incentive to recycle their old bottles and cans, will help significantly reduce the amount of plastic going to waste.
Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh told The Express: “This Government is committed to cleaning up our streets and ending our throwaway culture. Deposit return schemes have been proven to reduce the littering of cans and plastic bottles and increase recycling rates, which have remained stable for 15 years. Our packaging reforms will create 25,000 jobs and lead to more than £10bn being invested in recycling over the next decade.”
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Retailers in urban areas will be exempt from hosting a return point if they have a retail space of less than 100 m22They can still apply to become a voluntary return point.
Other types of organizations that sell beverages may also apply to host a voluntary return point, including accommodation venues, fast food stores, schools, mobile caterers, businesses with vending machines, and gyms, sports or community centres.
Defra said Wales was working on its own plastic deposit refund scheme that would work alongside schemes in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Defra added: “Under this scheme a refundable deposit is placed on certain drinks containers which can be claimed when the product is returned to a collection point such as a local supermarket.
“There’s no need for a receipt or proof of purchase, so anyone can return their own drinking container or find as long as it’s in good condition. “This means we can all help clean up our communities and get something in return.
“This simple change will reward people for doing the right thing and recycling empty drinks containers. Together we will turn the tide on plastic waste.”
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