Help us make the UK’s deposit return scheme work for everyone.
At the Special Olympics GB National Summer Games, we’re testing how easy Reverse Vending Machines are to understand and use.
When you’ve finished your drink, keep your empty can or bottle. Return it at one of our machines and 20p will be donated to Special Olympics GB.
This trial will help us understand what works well, what could be clearer and how we can make the future Deposit Return Scheme as accessible as possible.
How to take part:
- Keep your empty can or bottle
- Make sure it is empty and not crushed
- Find a RETURN & DONATE or RECYCLE & DONATE machine
- Put your can or bottle into the machine
- For every eligible can or bottle accepted, 20p is donated to Special Olympics GB
Your questions answered:
The Deposit Return Scheme will launch in October 2027. Before then, we want to make sure people can understand how to return their empty drinks cans and bottles and use return machines confidently.
Special Olympics GB athletes have already helped us review the machine designs and instructions. Their feedback has helped shape what you see at the Games.
Now we’re testing the experience in a real event environment to understand:
- how easy the machines are to find
- whether the instructions are clear
- whether people know which cans and bottles they can return
- whether RETURN & DONATE or RECYCLE & DONATE is clearer
- whether the 20p donation is easy to understand
- where people may need more information or support
What we learn will help inform how the future Deposit Return Scheme is designed and communicated.
A Deposit Return Scheme, or DRS, is designed to increase the number of drinks containers
collected for recycling and reduce litter.
When the scheme launches, a 20p deposit will be added when you buy an eligible drink.
You will get the 20p back when you return the empty container to a return point.
No. The Deposit Return Scheme will launch in October 2027.
The machines at the Special Olympics GB National Summer Games are part of a trial to help us prepare for the future scheme.
No.
You have not paid a 20p deposit when buying your drink at the Games.
Instead, 20p will be donated to Special Olympics GB for every eligible can or bottle accepted by the trial machines.
Please follow the instructions on the machine.
You can return eligible empty, uncrushed cans and plastic bottles.
Please do not put glass bottles, cartons, crushed containers or containers that still have liquid inside into the machine.
The machine needs to be able to recognise and accept your container.
Please empty your drink and keep your can or bottle uncrushed before returning it.
That is part of the trial.
We want to understand which words make it easiest for people to know what to do.
You may see RETURN & DONATE on some achines and RECYCLE & DONATE on others.
They both work in the same way and both donate 20p to Special Olympics GB for every eligible can or bottle accepted.
A Reverse Vending Machine, or RVM, is a machine that accepts drinks containers and checks whether they are eligible for return.
When the future Deposit Return Scheme launches, RVMs will be one way people can return eligible containers and reclaim their deposit.
The majority of drinks containers made wholly or mainly from PET plastic, aluminium or steel, between 150ml and 3 litres, will be included.
Glass will not be included in the Deposit Return Scheme in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
We want the Deposit Return Scheme to work for as many people as possible.
Working with Special Olympics GB means we can listen directly to people with intellectual differences and learn from their experience of the machines, instructions and information around them.
Athletes have already helped us improve the trial designs. The Games give us an opportunity to see how they work in practice.
Please ask an event team member or someone supporting you for help.
Finding out where people need more help or information is an important part of this trial too.
No.
You can use the machines without taking part in the research. If a member of the research team asks you some questions, you can choose whether you would like to take part.
The cans and bottles returned through the machines will be collected for recycling.
Exchange for Change is the not-for-profit organisation responsible for designing and delivering the Deposit Return Scheme in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.