With the UK Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) scheduled to launch in just over a year, the organisations responsible for making it work will meet at London Packaging Week to assess industry preparedness and the priorities for the period leading up to October 2027.
The 45-minute panel, titled ‘DRS countdown: from 2026 readiness to 2027 reality’, will be held on Wednesday 16 September. Speakers include Julian Hunt, industry-nominated Non-Executive Director at Exchange for Change; Andy Bagnall, Director General of the British Soft Drinks Association; Ellena Andrews, Senior Corporate Affairs & Circular Economy Policy Executive at the Food and Drink Federation; Naomi Brandon-Bravo, Sustainability Policy Adviser at the British Retail Consortium; and Tom Fiennes, Sustainability Director at Carlsberg Britvic.
Discussion will centre on the operational demands of introducing DRS. Panellists will examine readiness across the value chain, identify the work required during the coming year and define the indicators of a successful first year once the scheme is operational.
Under the system, which begins on 1 October 2027, shoppers will pay a 20p deposit on eligible cans and plastic bottles. They will receive that amount back when they return the empty packaging. Although the consumer journey appears straightforward, implementation will affect packaging formats, barcodes, retailers, reverse vending machines, transport networks, data systems and consumer habits.
Julian Hunt, who has contributed to the DRS programme for much of the last decade, believes businesses should recognise the scale of the change ahead.
“What we have to accept is this is going to be probably one of the biggest changes in a generation when you think of waste and packaging and recycling,” he said. “This will be the biggest change that we’ve seen in the UK since kerbside recycling started. It’s on that scale of change.”
Exchange for Change, the industry-backed body tasked with implementing the scheme nationwide, has also undergone a significant expansion. After operating much like a start-up at the start of 2025, the organisation now has premises in Milton Keynes, an established leadership structure and more than 60 employees focused on the October 2027 launch.
“The timetable for delivery of DRS was always going to be challenging, but it’s achievable,” Hunt said. “We’ve got a team of more than 60 in place, and have moved rapidly to bring on board the capabilities and the resources that we need to deliver on the operational plan.”
Teams are advancing plans for material requirements, scheme identity, barcode systems, reverse vending equipment, technology platforms, transport arrangements and counting facilities. However, Hunt stresses that companies must begin their implementation work well before the go-live date.
“The responsibility is really on the producers,” he said. “They will need to work closely in partnership with their suppliers to get ready because there’s going to be a lot of work around changing packaging.”
Manufacturers will need to update packaging designs, branding and barcodes, while retailers must decide how collection points and returns will function across their stores. They will also need to manage the coexistence of current non-DRS inventory and compliant stock during the transition.
The panel’s representation of scheme operators, drinks companies, food and beverage manufacturers and retailers reflects the level of collaboration required as the deadline approaches. These priorities sit alongside wider food and beverage industry trends, including food manufacturing trends, food distribution trends and changing food and drink consumer trends.
“Packaging is a big industry. There are lots of actors, lots of players on all aspects of the scheme, and we’ve all got a role in trying to connect with all of those operators and help them understand this is coming, this is a reality, and these are the things that you need to do to get ready,” Hunt said.
Exchange for Change is engaging with more than 50 trade associations and industry organisations, while also applying lessons learned by DRS providers operating in other European markets. The programme will require coordination across food processing technology, food and drink packaging and the broader priorities of food and drink sustainability.
For Hunt, the ultimate test remains the customer experience: someone purchases a beverage, pays the deposit, returns the container and receives the 20p refund.
“Put simply, that is what success looks like from day one. We’ve got to make sure it’s convenient. We’ve got to make sure it works. We’ve got to make sure it’s really easy for consumers from day one and then keep improving that experience after go-live.”
The event also reflects the growing importance of food and drink regulations at London Packaging Week. PackUK will address the next phase of packaging Extended Producer Responsibility, helping businesses move from assessing major reforms to applying them across day-to-day operations. The programme will also provide insight into food and drink industry innovation and the implications for food and drink marketing.
‘DRS countdown: from 2026 readiness to 2027 reality’ will take place from 13:10 to 13:55 on Wednesday 16 September on the FMCG Stage at London Packaging Week 2026.
London Packaging Week will be held at Excel London on 16 and 17 September 2026. The event is expected to attract more than 5,700 packaging specialists, alongside 220+ exhibitors and over 90 speakers representing luxury, beauty, premium drinks and FMCG.