DRS update: What registration means for producers and retailers
On the 29 September 2026, Exchange for Change (EfC) opened Phase 1 registration for producers and retailer return points, marking another important milestone in the setup and launch of the UK’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).
This first phase of registration is designed to only capture "core" business information needed for registration, with EfC encouraging businesses to register as soon as possible before more complex registration opens in January 2027.
Action: If you are a producer, return point operator, or both, you can now create an account and complete Phase 1 registration through the Exchange for Change registration portal.
What do I need to think about now?
Although the current registration process only requires basic business information, you should use this time to consider:
Whether you place in-scope drinks containers onto the market and will therefore be required to register as a producer.
Which drinks containers you place on the market that fall within the scope of DRS or will need to be registered as a low-volume line.
Whether any of your retail premises may be required to operate a return point, or whether an exemption may apply.
Who within your business will be responsible for DRS compliance activities.
Understanding the potential financial implications of DRS, including recently announced producer fees.
What internal processes may be needed to support future registration and reporting requirements.
Starting these conversations now can help minimise the workload as further requirements are introduced ahead of the scheme launch.
Do I need to register?
Producers:
Businesses that place drinks in single-use drinks containers covered by DRS onto the market in the UK will be required to register as producers under the scheme.
Retailer return points:
“Groceries retailers” (supermarkets, grocery and convenience stores, and newsagents which sell groceries) are required to operate a return point and register with EfC, unless you meet an automatic exemption (retailers in urban areas with a retail space <100m2).
If you are exempt for any other reason, you will still need to register. Further details on applying for an exemption are due to be published in the coming months.
Which containers are in scope?
Across the whole of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the DRS will cover single-use drinks containers that:
Are made wholly or mainly from PET plastic, aluminium or steel; and
Have a capacity between 150ml and 3 litres.
Glass will also be included in DRS in Wales but will have a 0p deposit and no labelling obligations until October 2031. It is assumed not, but we are still waiting for clarity on whether producers will have any registration and reporting obligations for the glass containers they supply in Wales.
A “low-volume line” exemption will apply if you are supplying less than 5000 units of any product line. You will still need to register and report these products as low-volume lines, which will then be exempt from labelling and deposit requirements.
Phase 1: Registration Requirements
At this stage, businesses only need to provide core information, including:
Company details
Trading name
Primary contact information
Business address
Mailing address
Businesses can save their progress and return later if required. Once submitted, a registration reference number will be issued both on-screen and via email.
Phase 2: January 2027
For Phase 2 of registration, businesses will be required to provide additional information relevant to their role in DRS, with further guidance expected ahead of Phase 2 opening.
While the specifics haven’t been published yet, businesses should start considering who in their business is responsible for maintaining DRS records, along with reviewing the registration requirements (section 9.2 of the material specification sheet) to start gathering and storing the product data that will be required.
Producer Fees Announced
For an update and insights on fees, please see our previous news story.
Producer fees are separate from the 20p consumer deposit and are used to help fund the operation of the scheme. To support businesses during the early stages of implementation, the producer fee will be set at:
0p per container from October 2027 to December 2028.
Based on current modelling and subject to review and reconfirmation in May 2027, EfC expect the following producer fees from January 2029:
0.6p per aluminium and steel container
2.3p per PET container
While these fees will not apply immediately when the scheme launches, producers may wish to factor them into longer-term planning and budgeting activities.
How does DRS interact with pEPR?
DRS and packaging EPR (pEPR) are separate pieces of legislation, and businesses may have obligations under both depending on their activities.
Up until DRS goes live, in-scope drinks containers will attract PRN costs but are exempt from paying household disposal fees.
Once DRS comes into force, these drinks containers will no longer be obligated to meet PRN recycling obligations, but will attract new DRS producer fees (see previous section).
As to the finer details of how DRS and pEPR interact, such as how in-scope containers and low volume lines discarded in household recycling are treated, we are still waiting for EfC and Defra publish future details.
How Beyondly can support
Registration opening is another significant step towards the introduction of DRS in October 2027. While some of the detailed operational requirements are still to be published, businesses can act now by understanding their obligations and ensuring they are prepared for future registration phases.
Beyondly will continue to monitor developments closely and provide updates as further guidance is released by Exchange for Change.
Please check out our latest DRS and pEPR legislation updates and keep up to date with policy changes with our Policy Insights portal.
If you're unsure whether your organisation needs to register as a producer or retailer, or would like support understanding how DRS may affect your business, please get in touch with our friendly team at [email protected] or 01756 794951.
