With just over a year to go until the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) launches, Unitas Wholesale has created a practical new tool to help independent retailers understand what the scheme could mean for their business - and to start preparing now.
The DRS will introduce significant operational changes for retailers when it launches on 1 October 2027.
Retailers selling drinks in eligible PET plastic bottles and aluminium and steel cans will be required to charge customers a deposit, while those operating as return points will also need to manage and verify returned containers, refund deposits, store containers and arrange collections.
Significant challenges
John Kinney, chief executive of Unitas Wholesale, said: “There’s no doubt that the DRS presents significant challenges for independent retailers. We want to cut through the complexity and translate the scheme into clear, practical information.
“That’s why we’ve created our DRS Calculator, to give retailers genuinely useful support and help them start making informed decisions about what DRS could mean for their individual business.”
The Unitas DRS Calculator is available through Plan for Profit, Unitas’ online retailer resource. Retailers can enter information about their business, including store type, size and average weekly sales, to build an indicative picture of the potential commercial and operational impact of the upcoming DRS on their store.
Expectation management
The calculator estimates the potential number of containers that could be returned each week, models deposits flowing into and out of the business, estimates potential retailer handling fee income and helps retailers consider the storage requirements associated with either manual returns or a reverse vending machine.
“The calculator takes industry-wide information and turns it into something much more meaningful at individual store level,” added Kinney. “It allows retailers to test different scenarios, understand the potential volumes and financial implications and start thinking about the practical decisions they will need to make.
“There won’t be one solution that’s right for every retailer, so understanding what DRS could mean for your own store is essential. The DRS will be one of the most significant operational changes independent retailers have faced in recent years.
“It will undoubtedly present challenges, but there will also be opportunities. Retailers that prepare early can consider how becoming a convenient destination for consumers returning containers could help protect, and potentially increase, footfall and sales.
“Our message to retailers is simple: don’t wait until October 2027. Start understanding what DRS could mean for your store now, consider your options and put a plan in place. Unitas will be supporting retailers throughout that journey.”
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