Wales to Launch Deposit Return Scheme in October 2027, Aligning with Rest of UK
The Welsh Government has confirmed that its long-anticipated Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) will go live in October 2027, aligning with the timeline adopted by the rest of the UK.
Announced today (10 July 2025), the decision brings Wales back in step with England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, following its earlier move to pursue an independent approach to DRS development. However, a key distinction remains: Wales will retain glass within the scope of its scheme, in contrast to the other UK nations, which have chosen to exclude it.
Making a cabinet statement, Huw Irranca-Davies, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, said:
“We have heard clearly from industry that the scenario where a scheme is introduced in the other parts of the UK, with no scheme in place in Wales, carries the greatest risk of operational complexity and associated costs.”
He added:
“I have therefore set out to industry that we are willing to accelerate our implementation timetable to align with the rest of the UK, which would provide for interoperability between common materials.”
Wales had previously withdrawn from the joint UK DRS process in November 2024, announcing its intention to develop a separate scheme. A consultation was planned for Spring 2026, with a final launch date to be confirmed thereafter—suggesting a potential delay beyond October 2027.
Why Is Wales Taking a Different Approach?
Irranca-Davies reiterated that the divergence stems from the UK Government’s decision to exclude glass from its national scheme, a departure from the original cross-government agreement.
“This is not a situation of the Welsh Government’s making,” he said. “It stems directly from decisions taken by the previous UK Government to depart from the agreed approach of a DRS that included glass.”
Nonetheless, he acknowledged the need to avoid unintended consequences and expressed a commitment to mitigating disruption.
Phased Implementation and Industry Considerations
The Deputy First Minister also confirmed that Wales would adopt a phased implementation approach to ease the transition and avoid issues such as inconsistent labelling and fraud risks. The aim is to minimise disruption to current production and distribution operations, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises.
“We are conscious of the wider issues affecting the sector,” he said, “and will work to ensure sensible arrangements are in place, such as exclusions for low-volume products.”
This renewed timeline and strategic alignment reflect Wales’ ongoing commitment to environmental leadership, while responding to practical concerns raised by businesses across the supply chain.