After years of delays, Wales has put the finishing touches on its Deposit Return Scheme by appointing Exchange for Change as the administrator that will run its project.
From October 2027 customers will pay 20p extra when buying a drink in a single-use container, before reclaiming the deposit when they return their bottle or can, or rolling it over when buying a new drink.
England, Scotland and Northern Ireland all agreed to exclude glass from their schemes due to the expense and handling difficulties this material brings, and its already high recycling rates, but Wales insisted on including it, pushing the DRS’ start date from 2023 to 2027.
The Welsh government went one step further in April this year, rejecting Exchange for Change’s tender to run its scheme, despite that organisation being chosen as the administrator for the rest of the UK, and it being “the only viable applicant” for Wales according to the British Soft Drinks Association.
Now, Senedd ministers have apparently seen sense, appointing Exchange for Change as its Deposit Return Scheme administrator.
But while the administrator issue is now resolved, questions still remain over how to prevent the scheme being subject to fraud by nefarious individuals gathering multiple Englsih, Scots or Northern Irish glass bottles with no deposit against them and taking them into Wales to illegitimately claim 20p deposits.
Welsh cabinet minister for environment Llyr Gruffydd says: “I am pleased to announce the appointment of Exchange for Change as the deposit management organisation for the deposit return scheme for drinks containers in Wales”.
Gruffydd adds: “The scheme will include plastic (PET), metal and glass drinks containers from day one, but in line with the Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (Wales) Regulations 2026 a four-year transition period will apply to glass drinks containers, during which glass drinks containers will be exempt from labelling requirements and carry a zero pence deposit.”
