Exchange for Change, the deposit management organisation (DMO) overseeing planned deposit return schemes (DRSs) across the UK, has opened the first phase of registration for businesses.
Businesses required to register as producers, return point operators, or both, can now create an account and complete Phase 1 registration through the Exchange for Change portal.
The first phase requires basic company details, primary contact information, trading name and relevant business and mailing addresses. Businesses will receive a registration reference number once their registration has been submitted.
Exchange for Change has also published guidance to help businesses establish whether they need to register.
Retailer exemptions
Under the planned DRS arrangements, retailers in urban areas with retail space below 100 sq m are automatically exempt from operating a return point and do not need to register unless they want to host one.
Urban retailers with sales areas between 100 and 199 sq m, and rural retailers with less than 200 sq m, can apply for an exemption from operating a return point. They will still need to register, with further details on applying for an exemption expected in the coming months.
A second registration phase is expected to open in January 2027, when businesses will be asked to provide additional information relevant to their role in the scheme.
Exchange for Change chief executive Russell Davies referred to the opening of registration as an important milestone ahead of the planned October 2027 launch.
He said: “We are designing the scheme to be as clear and straightforward as possible. Phase 1 is a simple process that gives producers and retailers an opportunity to start registering now, by providing the core information we need before more detailed information that will be collected in Phase 2 next year.”
The DMO will oversee arrangements covering England and Northern Ireland and Scotland, and has also been appointed to oversee Wales’ national DRS plans.
DRS requirements
The Welsh scheme is intended to be interoperable with the other UK schemes for containers made from materials including metals and plastics. It will also accept glass containers, which will initially not carry a deposit during a transition period.
The registration launch follows the publication of information on DRS requirements, including material guidelines for drinks containers, producer fees, return handling fees and return point exemptions.
Exchange for Change has also announced £60 million ($79m) in grant funding for small independent retailers and launched a monthly survey to assess retailers’ readiness. Producer fees will be set at zero for the first 15 months after launch, with producers not expected to pay fees until December 2028.
With the schemes due to begin in less than a year, the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee has urged the government to review their potential impact on wider reforms to council waste services.
