We continue to actively support the roll out of well-designed Deposit Return Schemes to increase recycling rates and establish a functioning circular economy for packaging. This needs to happen so we have enough recycled food-grade quality plastic PET to reuse in our bottles.
Around two billion drinks containers are consumed in Ireland every year, with over 30% going unrecycled – and Ireland’s DRS, Re-turn, launched on 1 February. The scheme was quickly adopted and, in its first six months, there were over 2,500 reverse vending machines and 323 manual return points nationwide.
By September, over 500 million containers had been returned with research finding a noticeable reduction in litter on the streets.
Kevin Donnelly, Britvic Ireland’s Managing Director, serves as a Non-Executive Director on the Re-turn board. The UK Government and devolved administrations published a joint policy statement in April, announcing a framework to ensure compatibility across the UK with DRS to be launched in October 2027.
We continue to work closely with governments and the wider industry to make sure a deposit management organisation is appointed to administer the UK schemes in 2025, ahead of a successful launch.