Thousands more wholesale customers could now be exempted from hosting deposit return scheme (DRS) return points after regulators widened the scheme’s size-based exemption criteria.
However, regulators in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland have agreed with the scheme’s appointed operator Exchange for Change (EfC) to allow urban retailers with a sales area of between 100sq m and 199sq m, as well as rural retailers with less than 200sq m of sales space, to apply for a size-based exemption.
The changes could significantly increase the number of convenience stores eligible to avoid operating a return point when the scheme launches in October 2027.
Read more: Exchange for Change announces return fees for DRS ahead of 2027 launch
Additional exemption routes have also been agreed for retailers affected by factors including proximity to existing return points, listed building restrictions, site access issues and a lack of utilities.
The DRS will cover single-use PET plastic, steel and aluminium drinks containers between 150ml and 3l, with many retailers legally mandated to play a central role in enabling returns, including through in-store return points and reverse vending machines (RVMs).
The wider exemption criteria for stores has been welcomed by industry leaders, with ACS chief executive Ed Woodall calling on EfC to “quickly clarifying” how retailers can apply for an exemption.
“Convenience retailers want to host return points in their stores and help their customers recycle, but the proposed handling payments will leave many neighbourhood retailers as net losers by not covering the costs of collecting, storing and refunding contains,” he said.
